The Fox and the Crow
by DreamerOfTheDay
Summary: A young man is forced to flee from the only home he has ever known, heading straight for the Wilds where he meets an amber eyed witch. Can he trust her? Now the Blight has forced him into an unwanted journey wherein he has to make many tough decisions, the least of which will result in a broken heart or a very angry witch...
1. Chapter 1: Wilds

_Wilds_

I had never really given much thought about my life up until now. I guess being at home safely snuggled under some nice furs did more than just keep me warm through the cold winter days. I went through roughly the same routine each day: wake up, eat, and then head out to the yard to practise my archery skills. Sometimes I would hunt through the thickets of the forest near my home with my Mabari, Franklin. At first, my mother hated him, but eventually she grew to accept that he and I were a kind of 'package deal,' as they say. My father did not care much for him, either, and no amount of puppy dog eyes from the two of us could change that. 'He is yours and yours alone. If he gets in my way, I'll make sure that he never does so again. Is that clear?' were the first things he said to me when I brought Franklin home. I'm pretty sure the poor dog thought he'd done something wrong.

But there I was, wet and in the cold, hidden high up in one of the many trees of the Korcari Wilds. Franklin was circling the base while I tried in vain to get some decent rest. I just hoped the Templars would not find me hiding here. The wind blew right through my clothing, causing me to shiver so violently that my teeth were clacking together. If the Templars did not get me, the cold certainly would. I stared down at my fingertips, wishing I knew how to bring flame to them like I had today.

I didn't even mean to do it, it just happened. My father watched as I lined up my shot on the practice dummy. I inhaled as I drew back the string and took a small step forward, ready to release the arrow. As I let it slip between my fingers, a small spark of flame ignited the arrow as it went past. Both my father and I watched in silence as the dummy was set ablaze. My mother ran out from the house, uncertain of what had happened. I looked from my father, to her, and back again, waiting for a response from one of them. It was my father who spoke first.

'Go get the Templars, quick! Tell them we have a mage!' he shouted at her. His voice shook with rage.

I stared at my mother with pleading eyes, but she turned away and ran back into the house. My father charged at me, and in that instant, I knew that he intended to use some of the skills he acquired as a Templar. I snatched up my bow and a quiver of arrows before running inside to get whatever valuables I could find, knowing that I'd never be able to come home now.

'Don't resist me, boy!' I heard my father shouting. 'It will be the tower for you, where you can harm nobody but your own kind!'

My father had his hunting kit at the door of his room, packed and ready to go. I searched frantically for the lockbox where my parents kept a large supply of sovereigns and shoved that into the bag too. I looked around quickly for anything else, and I spotted the only other thing of value in the room: my mother's dowry gift. It was a mirror of polished glass in a gold frame, with golden deer and sparrows prancing about in a charming scene on the back.

I put the mirror inside the kit and slung it over my back. I started toward the door when my father kicked it open, roaring when he noticed that the mirror had been taken from the bedside table. He charged at me with fists swinging, but thankfully my agility allowed me to quickly step under his hefty blows. I dashed out of the door and made a beeline for the exit out the back.

I whistled for Franklin, and I ran.

* * *

I'd been running for what felt like the better part of the day. I looked up through the canopy of trees and noticed that the sky was now tinged with the orange of a setting sun. I was tempted to stop and rest for a few minutes, but Franklin seemed eager to keep moving. He'd gotten me out of a few tight spots before, so I saw no reason not to trust his instincts again. We pushed onward but I had to stop soon. All the running had left me feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

Franklin whined at me when I stopped next. He still felt as though we should keep moving but it was quite obvious that I needed a break. I found a tree with long, thick branches that could easily support my weight and climbed it. I had a good view of the surrounding area, and the leaves provided enough cover to conceal me from all but the keenest of observers. Franklin barked, accepting my position. I rummaged through my father's hunting kit and found some dried meats, tossing a couple of pieces down to my faithful guardian, who caught them all with one deft leap and a snap of his teeth.

I leaned back into the tree, making myself comfortable – as comfortable as one can be up in a tree. Franklin was standing resolutely at the foot of the tree, baring his teeth as a warning to any that would dare approach. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

I could not be certain about how long I had been out for, but it didn't feel like much. I was alerted to the presence of another by way of Franklin's deep growl. The fact that he was not attacking them gave me reason to believe that it was not the Templars who were after me. I watched carefully, keeping one hand on my bow and another on an arrow, just to be safe.

The sharp voice of a woman rang out through the trees, immediately piquing my interest. "Stop growling at me, mongrel. I have nothing you want!" she snapped.

I leaned forward to get a better view of the woman, causing me to lose my hold on the branch. I was able to orient myself just in time to land on my feet, which I am certain drew a quick smile of admiration from my onlooker. She watched me curiously, as if she were sizing me up for something.

Truth be told, I had never seen such a beautiful woman as she in all of my life. Her long black hair was tied up in a messy bun, with a few loose strands framing her face. Her amber eyes were probing me, as if she were trying to glean the thoughts right from my head.

"Who… are you?" she asked.

I was hesitant to speak truthfully, so I said the first thing that popped into my head. "Fox."

She took a step toward me, still staring at me intently as though she had never seen a person before. "I wonder…"

Before either of us could speak again, we heard shouts off in the distance. Our looks suggested that we had a common enemy in the Templars. She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the trees, moving through them with the speed and grace one gets from many years of practice. We ran for what seemed like an hour, not once stopping to catch our breath.

I was just about ready to give up when the trees thinned out, revealing a small clearing with a tiny shack to the side. Remnants of an ancient city dotted the horizon, with only a very small amount peering over the top of the forest. Running by the left side of the shack was a small creek that connected with a much larger one. I found myself wondering if many people had found this place, or whether it was well hidden.

"Hello, Mother," said the dark-haired woman, who was still gripping my hand tightly.

There was an old woman hanging something out by the side of the shack. She did not even acknowledge the presence of us, merely continuing to hang what looked to be her smallclothes (though they looked anything but small to me). As if sensing what I had thought, the old woman turned around and laughed.

"Well well… What have we here? A new friend, Morrigan?"

Morrigan sighed apathetically. "No mother, I found him out in the wilds, hiding up a tree."

"Oh, how delightful!" she cackled. "And what may we call you, hmm?"

"I am Fox," I replied instantly. "Who are you, may I ask?"

She smiled at me. "Flemeth."

Flemeth sent Morrigan inside to prepare a meal for the three of us. Normally, I would have declined a meal from a complete stranger, but I had no-where to go and running from the Templars had used up a lot of my energy.

I relayed the story of how I ended up in the tree, surprising myself at how level-headed I was being with the whole situation. Morrigan regarded me with apprehension, remaining silent through the whole meal. Flemeth seemed delighted by my company, and she even took a liking to Franklin, throwing him a few scraps of food.

"I shall have Morrigan teach you better control of your power. You will need it in the coming days…"

I watched Flemeth as she trailed off, and the inkling that she was not entirely sane grew a tiny bit larger when she began to laugh at her stew.

Morrigan exhaled loudly and stormed off out the door. Flemeth indicated for me to follow, and I eagerly leapt up to avoid any more awkward conversation.

I had no idea what Morrigan thought of me. My question was answered though, as soon as I stepped out the door to find a sharp knife hurtling toward my face. Instinctively, I stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharp end of the blade.

Morrigan walked over and yanked the knife from the door. "Your reflexes are unnatural. How long has this been so?"

I had no idea. Thinking back, I'd never really noticed my skills exceeding that of others, but then again… I'd never really had the chance to train with anyone else. My brothers had joined the Templar Order many years ago, when I was still too young to use any weapon with any modicum of technique. I shook my head, unable to answer properly. "I don't know, sorry. For as long as I can remember I guess."

Again, Morrigan studied me with her round amber eyes. She resembled a cat looking at a fluffy new chew toy. I regretted thinking of that as soon as it came to me. Suddenly, I was very uncomfortable with her watching me so intently.

A minute or so passed awkwardly before she spoke again. Morrigan took me to the hill just behind the shack where she cast a fire spell that sent a short burst of flame rolling along the ground.

I waited for her to speak, before I realised that she wanted me to imitate her spell. "I have no idea what I'm doing."

I was flushed with embarrassment at the look of scorn on her face. I half expected a slap from her. "Magic, like talking and reading is about visualising and forming what you need. To create fire, you first need to _see _fire. You need to _feel _fire. Only then will you have it."

I watched Morrigan perform the fire spell several more times, but I just could not grasp what I needed to do. I was more than a little afraid of the magic, having been brought up in a strictly anti-mage family. Every male member of my family – my father, his father, and even his grandfather – had all been Templars, each of them raising a strong family of mage-hating men.

Still, I could not perform the spell, much to the ire of Morrigan who threw her hands up in defeat. I was left standing outside looking down at my hands and wondering if there truly was any magic to begin with. Alone, I found myself thinking of my family that I would never be able to see again. I had nowhere to go.

I looked to the shack and to the thick forest beyond it. Franklin sat at my heel and whined softly, nuzzling his head against my calf. I lowered myself down to his level and gave him a good scratch behind his ears. "You'll never leave me, will you boy?"

Franklin barked happily and licked my face.

I decided I'd give the magic a few more tries before I went back inside. I tried doing as Morrigan said: _see_ing the fire. Feeling it in my hands. But nothing came.

"Come on Franklin. There's always tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2: Magic

_Magic_

"Maybe if you weren't such a shoddy teacher I'd have gotten it by now!"

My patience was beginning to wear thin. We'd been at it for days, trying to teach me magic, but no matter how hard I tried I could not summon a single iota of magical power. I was getting frustrated at Morrigan who was getting rather snappy at me, and getting frustrated at myself for being unable to do something that seemed so simple.

"Fool! Are you even listening to a word I say?" she shouted back at me.

Flemeth emerged from the house, chuckling at the two of us. "Forgive Morrigan, she sometimes forgets that she, too, used to struggle with magic."

Morrigan turned to sneer at Flemeth, allowing me to stick my tongue out at her without seeing. Franklin did the same, earning a treat from me later.

Flemeth came to me and studied me intently, looking very much like Morrigan as she did so. "You say that it was a tiny spark that set your arrow alight? Why don't we try that first then, hmm?"

I retrieved my bow and stood at the top of the hill. Flemeth was close by, while Morrigan stood leaning her back against the wall of the shack. I went through the same motions as I usually did back at home. I inhaled, peering down the shaft of the arrow and at my target (a dummy of Morrigan's creation, looking suspiciously like Flemeth). I drew back on the string, thinking hard on the memory of the incident. I remembered my father chasing me after he saw what I was, and it filled me with rage. I released the arrow, feeling a tingle in my fingertips as a spark leapt out from them and into the head of the arrow. When it hit its mark, there was a miniature explosion that caused the head of the dummy to explode.

Flemeth clapped loudly. "Oh, you I like!"

Morrigan rolled her eyes. I could not tell why she seemed to dislike me so, but right now, I did not particularly care. I did it! Small as it was, I had just – willingly – cast my first spell, and damnit, I was proud. I drew back another arrow, doing it again. And again, and then one more time.

I put my bow on the ground, stepping back from Morrigan and Flemeth. I closed my eyes and stood still, revelling in my success. I finally got what Morrigan meant, about actually _feeling _the magic. The tingling originated in the centre of my chest before shooting down into my hands, where I knew a spell was forming. I was hesitant to open my eyes lest I lose my concentration, so I tried to focus the energy into the expanding orb.

Franklin barked, causing me to drop the spell which promptly blew up in my face.

* * *

When I awoke, I felt the light touch of soft hands travelling down past my navel and toward the area normally covered by my smallclothes, which were conspicuously absent in my time of need. It took my eyes a while to adjust, but when my vision cleared I instantly spotted Morrigan staring at me from the foot of the bed.

"I have applied your bandages. You would do well not to scratch them, lest you undo mother's healing work."

I sat up in the bed, and snatched up some of the clothing on the floor to cover myself. Morrigan rolled her eyes at me, which was a thing become all too common.

"As admirable as yours is, do not think I have not seen one before."

She threw a small cloth at me, indicating that I should use it to cover myself up. I waited for her to turn away, earning another 'ugh' of annoyance from her.

I gingerly slid the sack cloth pants up over my legs, being careful to avoid rubbing the bandages. Standing as I was, I noticed that I was in worse shape than I originally had surmised, with my gut taking the brunt of the damage. Morrigan assured me that scarring would be minimal, if any were to occur at all.

I thanked Flemeth for repairing me, unsure of how to repay her. Thankfully, she had a suggestion.

"In a few more days, you will accompany Morrigan to the abandoned Grey Warden tower that is not too far from here. The Blight is almost upon us, and I believe that the Wardens will come looking for their treaties. You are to bring the Wardens directly here. Understood?"

Morrigan and I nodded. The severity with which Flemeth was speaking reminded me of my father when teaching me how to hunt. I gladly accepted a potion which I was told would ease the irritation of my wounds.

The next two days passed by quite slowly, especially with me being out of action for the most part. I walked around the yard; looking for herbs that Flemeth had told me could be useful should I ever become lost in a place like this. I offered for Morrigan to join me as a sign of peace between us, but she merely rolled her eyes and walked away.

It was getting rather late into the afternoon on the second day, so I decided to head back to the hut and show Flemeth what I had retrieved today. On the approach to the door, I heard Morrigan and Flemeth talking inside. I was about to push through the door but I heard something that caught my attention.

"Be wary of him, child… You must remember the story of the Fox and the Crow I oft told you as you grew up," said Flemeth, her wizened voice cracking with age. "It cannot be a coincidence that the Fox shows up now, and I have seen how you favour the form of a crow."

"I see no reason to worry, mother. 'Tis he who should exercise caution… and you know I do not sing."

I heard someone coming toward the door so I hurriedly back-stepped a few paces. Morrigan opened the door and looked at me suspiciously. She looked back through the door, presumably at Flemeth, and then back to me.

"Ahh. I was just coming to get you. It is time."

"For what..?"

Morrigan smiled. "The Wardens are coming."


	3. Chapter 3: Crow

**A/N: If you're reading this... Then thank you! Hope you enjoy it. Pretty, pretty please read and review! Much appreciated, it motivates me to write more ;) **_  
_

_Crow_

Flemeth handed Morrigan a long wooden staff, seemingly a branch broken off of a nearby tree. The younger witch sighed with pleasure as she grasped the shaft and I felt the air briefly hum with magical power. Flemeth asked me if I required one, but I declined, knowing that I'd not be able to wield it with full power. I was better off equipped with my bow.

Once Flemeth was certain that the two of us were prepared, she sent us on our way. Morrigan had eagerly bounded out the door and left me standing alone with Flemeth. I turned to leave, but she placed a cold hand on my shoulder which caused me to shudder.

She smiled. "Watch yourself."

I nodded awkwardly before hurriedly leaving the hut. Morrigan was waiting by the forest edge, eagerly anticipating our little trip to the old Warden tower. Franklin was waiting patiently beside her, looking as excited as she did. I jogged the last few steps toward them and followed Morrigan into the dense trees.

At first we walked slowly, listening carefully for any signs of people – Wardens or otherwise. Morrigan kindly informed me that the Darkspawn may also be present in the area, though she could not say for sure. I nodded, but I sincerely hoped that we did not see any of those foul creatures. The walk continued in silence for a while when we eventually came across a fresh set of tracks. They looked as though they were born of a large metal boot, one that a Guardsman – or Templar – would wear. I made a mental note to keep an eye out for Templars in case they were still close by.

The further into the woods we progressed, the quieter we both became. Franklin, too, was doing his best to remain silent but alert. My dog suddenly froze in place and his ears pricked up, angling toward something ahead of us. I listened as best I could, but picked up nothing, and so did Morrigan.

"Wait here," she whispered to me.

I nodded. She brusquely walked forward, turning into a jog and then a full run before leaping high into the air. There was an odd ruffling sound, followed by a puff of black smoke and feathers. Morrigan had shifted into a crow. She soared overhead, scouting for the presence that Franklin had picked up. The Crow was almost out of sight when I heard them.

"I felt something over this way!" shouted a man.

I froze in place, uncertain of their meaning. Franklin growled toward the voices, and suddenly I saw why. Moving through the trees with surprising speed were three Templars, all with their shields raised and helmets on. Before they could see me, I quickly leapt up a tree, bouncing off each branch until I was far out of their reach. Franklin remained at the base of the tree, guarding me once again.

"Oi! Look what I've found over 'ere!" called the first man.

The other two Templars stepped out from behind me, swords pointed toward Franklin.

"It's one of dem stupid dogs!" replied the second.

The third man, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward. "Quiet, you twats! Do you not recall that the one we are looking for had one such as this? He could be nearby!" he snapped.

The first two looked at each other sheepishly, shrugging their shoulders. "Aw, sorry boss…"

Franklin lunged at the first, grabbing a hold of his exposed hand. He cried out in pain as the dog bit down harder, and I knew that Franklin had enough power to crush his bones. I wrenched my bow off my back and readied an arrow just in time to see one of the Templars land a solid kick into Franklins side. Even from my distance, I could hear a wet crunch as the metal boot broke something inside my poor dog.

The Templar that kicked fell to the ground, dead. I had made a perfect shot, hitting him squarely in the eye and lodging itself deep into his brain. I sniggered.

Franklin took another blow from the man he was biting, this time receiving a punch to his face, forcing him to let go. Suddenly I was filled with rage – more than I had ever felt before. I dropped down until I landed silently on a thin branch directly above the bitten Templar.

I evaluated the situation, trying to figure out how to best deal with the two remaining Templars. They were standing back to back, looking around wildly. Hmph. They never look up, I think to myself. I figured that if I were quick enough, I could drop down onto the weaker one and hit the other one at the same time. While he was reeling from my first attack, I could kill the one beneath me and then deal with the last.

I inhaled, focussing on myself. I muted every other sound except for my own and the noises of the men beneath me. I swung downward, both of my feet connecting with the back of the Templars head. He fell to the ground and smashed his face onto a rock. I turned to strike the other man, but I was knocked back by a solid punch to my chest that took the wind out of me.

I weakly drew my bow and kept it trained on his face.

He looked confused. "You… you are no mage. The power I felt before… that wasn't you."

I spotted a familiar crow flying toward me. I grinned at the Templar. "You're right."

Morrigan swooped down and shifted back into her regular self just as she touched the ground. "I am," she cackled, somewhat maniacally. Reminded me of Flemeth quite a bit.

"You shouldn't have told me that," snarled the Templar, a wicked grin on his face.

A burst of energy sprung forth from the Templar and washed over both me and Morrigan. It was the oddest sensation, like it was, in fact, the opposite of energy. My whole body tingled with the feeling, causing me to fall to my knees. I watched as Morrigan sank to the ground, severely weakened by the mana drain.

He raised his sword high over Morrigan's head, preparing to swing down. She weakly raised her hands in defence, closing her eyes as the blade came down.

But it never reached her, I made sure of that. I managed to get an arrow straight through the gap in the Templars arm, causing him to lose his grip on the sword. Blood spilled out from the wound, dripping onto the ground.

He turned to face me, and I landed another arrow squarely in his chest. Same place as he'd hit me, in fact.

I rushed to Morrigan's side and helped her up. We hobbled over to Franklin who was lying on the ground in a lot of pain. Morrigan reached into her satchel that was strung around her waist and pulled out a few leaves of what I recognised as elfroot. She pressed it to Franklin's mouth, urging him to eat it.

"It will help with the pain."

I gave a stern glare at my dog, who complied instantly. We waited for a few moments until Morrigan had said she was ready to go. Franklin did appear to be a bit more at ease but I still felt concerned about his injuries, enough so that I asked Morrigan to use magic to repair some of the damage.

I looked at her pleadingly until she acquiesced, though she claimed that she did not know much healing magic.

"There. I've done what I can. I suggest that you send him back to Flemeth, she will know what to do with him."

I agreed, and after few raised voices and irritated barks, Franklin moped off toward Flemeth's hut.

"So, Morri. When are you going to teach me how to do that?" I asked casually, as we continued on.

She stopped dead ahead of me and whipped her head around so fast that I was afraid it would spin right off. "Never, ever – EVER- call me 'Morri' again. That is the only warning you shall receive from me. And teach you how change into animals? I can, as soon as you learn to cast fireball without setting your pants on fire. Now let's keep moving!" she snapped.

"Okay, okay," I replied. "It is really amazing though, you know that?"

She turned away from me, though I swear I saw a slight smile. "Enough of this."


	4. Chapter 4: Eloquence

_Eloquence_

I trudged along the muddy ground, each step further causing me to wish I'd never come. The water had seeped through my shoes and pooled up around my toes. Making my mood worse was the fact that Morrigan was not talking to me at all, not even so much as glancing in my direction. Her face was always looking firmly forward and she never showed any sign of discomfort nor of a need to slow down for a while. I missed Franklin, too.

"This place is so dull and dreary! Everything looks the same, and I'm pretty sure there are only two colours in the entire forest!" I sighed, no longer caring how I sounded in front of Morrigan.

She sighed and ignored me, and eventually I gave up trying to talk to her. By the Maker, how she confused me! One minute, she seemed moderately interested in talking; on some occasions she even seemed friendly toward me. I made a mental note to try and trick her into telling me the story that Flemeth had mentioned. Perhaps she really was afraid of me… I chuckled to myself – Morrigan, a witch of the Wilds, afraid of me. I'm possibly the worst mage in existence. Morrigan cast me an awkward sideways glance, wondering what exactly I was laughing at I presumed. I just looked at her and smiled back. Her face twitched in annoyance, to my delight. I figured I might as well have some fun with her if she wouldn't talk to me.

An hour, and maybe half of another had passed before I noticed any obvious change in scenery. We were well and truly into the wetlands. Whereas earlier we were surrounded by tall trees, now it was mainly shallow ponds filled with swamp-grass and dead tree stumps. Every so often we would come across the half-sunken remains of an old Tevinter building – even in their current state, the architectural design was something magnificent to behold.

Morrigan told me that we were getting close, and to keep my eye out for any people. There were a large series of archways that ran across the water and cut through the soft earth, disappearing around a corner that we were approaching. Just beyond, I could see something hanging from three of the arches, but I could not see what it was just yet.

Even though I'd killed those Templars before - I've even seen a few dead civilians – I either wasn't expecting or couldn't handle seeing what was hanging from the rope tied to the arches. Some soldiers had been strung up, swaying in the slight breeze that had been giving me chills all day. They were too marred to tell who they were or where they were from. At first I had suspected the Darkspawn, but on further thought I recalled a story of the Chasind folk my father had once told me. They were a vicious and barbaric people that painted their faces and lived in huts supported by stilts; killing anyone not of their own blood and fighting like animals between the clans that they had organised themselves into. I was about to mention my thoughts on the nature of these people and the way they lived to Morrigan, when I remembered that she had been living in largely the same way for her entire life. Come to think of it, save for the things that can only be learnt living with other people, Morrigan and Flemeth seemed quite civilised, even more so than some – particularly Templars – of the people I had had the fortune to meet. Maybe my father was wrong.

Morrigan grabbed my hand and pulled me aside, holding a finger to her mouth in an order of silence. I nodded, understanding that we had reached our destination.

I was trying to peek around the corner when I felt her hot breath on my neck, sending a rush of goose pimples down my body. She leaned in, in whispering in my ear. "What can you see?"

I peeked around the tree, getting a decent look at the ruins of what I presumed was the old Warden tower. There was not a person in sight, so I stepped a little further out to get a better view of the path leading up to the entrance.

"The way is clear. If I can find a way up, I'll be able to look beyond and see when someone is approaching."

Morrigan paused, mulling over my suggestion before finally agreeing. "'tis a good plan, I must admit. Perhaps there is more to you than it seems," she said, her tone somewhere between accusing and admiring.

"Thanks, I think."

Thankfully, the tower was a very easy climb. The walls were covered with plenty of handholds, allowing me to reach the top in a very short amount of time. It wasn't very high, but a nearby tree provided ample cover for me to be invisible. I leapt across the gap and landed on a thick branch, then made my way to the top-most point of the tree.

The wilds stretched on for miles, and I could see why there were so many warnings about this place – if you didn't know the place, you'd surely get lost. Not far off in the distance, I spotted four people who were quite heavily armoured. They didn't look like Templars or Darkspawn, so I assumed that they must be the Wardens we were looking for.

I jumped down and told Morrigan what I'd seen. She had found the place where the treaties were hidden, so I told her to find a place to hide that was close to it. I'd go back up into the tree and keep an arrow trained on them at all times, should anything go wrong. Only when we were certain that it was the Wardens that were approaching would Morrigan reveal herself and explain the situation.

We hurried into our places and waited. A few minutes passed before I got a view of them: four men, one elf and three humans.

The elf had long black hair tied back into a small braid, with a few loose strands framing his face. He had silvery-grey eyes that were streaked with blue, lending his appearance a sense of severity and determination. Adding to his fierce look were his high cheekbones and thin lips, set in a firm line of disapproval. Perhaps he wasn't enjoying the mud either. A massive two handed sword was slung across his back – this was one guy I _really _did not want to fight.

To his left was a muscular looking man with sandy blond hair and a scruffy goatee. As soon as I looked at him, I knew that he was a Templar, or at least had been trained as one. He was quite handsome, though, with a very regal looking face that one saw in very few men. Creases around his eyes and mouth suggested a happy man, someone used to laughing and smiling. I had a quick look, and saw that he was carrying a sword and shield, not unlike the ones my father had given me for practice a few years ago.

The other two men were very plain looking, appearing very much uninteresting compared to the two men leading them. They looked afraid, and I supposed that wasn't entirely unreasonable given the stories told about the place they were in.

They walked beneath me and crossed the archway that led to the base of the tower where the empty chest awaited. The elf, whom I now presumed was the leader, examined the shattered chest.

He turned to his companions and spoke in a strong voice that was as smooth as silk. "It's empty."

Before any of the others spoke, Morrigan descended from her hiding place and approached them. "Well well… What have we here? Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger, poking amidst a corpse whose bones were long since cleaned?"

I could immediately tell she was going for a mysterious and dangerous introduction. Good idea, maybe it'll keep them from any funny business. I silently drew my arrow and kept it aimed at the elf.

Morrigan continued. "Or merely an intruder, come into these Darkspawn filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey?"

They all regarded her with caution, particularly the Templar who seemed very apprehensive. The elf, however, stepped a little closer, perhaps sizing Morrigan up to see if she were dangerous.

"What say you, hmm? Scavenger, or intruder?"

The elf paused for a moment before answering. "I am neither. The Grey Wardens once owned this tower."

Morrigan crossed her arms. "'tis a tower no longer. The Wilds have obviously claimed this desiccated corpse. I have watched your progress for some time. 'Where do they go,' I wondered, 'why are they here?'"

The Wardens looked at each other nervously.

"And now, you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"

The three 'men' behind the elf stepped in toward him, looking very uneasy. The blond haired man spoke in a hushed voice. "Don't answer her. She looks Chasind, and that means others may be nearby."

Morrigan stepped closer. "Ohh, you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?"

"Yes… Swooping is bad," replied the blond.

One of the other men spoke next. "She's a witch of the Wilds, she is. She'll turn us into toads."

"Witch of the Wilds," said Morrigan, hands on her hips. "Such idle fancies, those legends. Have you no minds of your own? You there, handsome lad," she turned to the elf, "tell me your name and I shall tell you mine. Let us be civilised."

The elf gave a curt bow. "I am Darrian. A pleasure to meet you."

"Now that is a proper civil greeting, even here, in the Wilds. You may call me Morrigan."

At this point, I had gotten bored of watching and decided to join in on the conversation. I jumped from the tree and landed beside Morrigan, bow and arrow still in hand. "And you may call me Fox. I suppose you've come for something?"

"Something that is here no longer?" added Morrigan.

The blond man spoke up. "Here no longer? You stole them, didn't you? You're… some kind of… sneaky… witch thief!"

I snorted, and Morrigan chuckled. "How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men?"

"Quite easily, it seems," replied the blond man. Darrian stepped forward hesitantly, hoping that there would be no trouble.

"Alistair…" he warned.

"Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them."

Morrigan was clearly not impressed with Alistair's tone, so I decided to hurry the conversation along. I informed them that we knew where the treaties were and that we would lead them to the location.

After some careful persuasion, we took them to Flemeth's hut where she stood waiting. I nodded to her and Morrigan introduced them.

"Greetings, mother. I bring before you four Grey Wardens, who-"

"I see them girl," she said, cutting her daughter off. "Mm. Much as I expected."

I kinda stopped paying attention to the conversation once I realised it pertained to nothing that I needed to know. Flemeth spoke cryptically, issuing her vague warnings and the like before handing over the documents. Alistair was surprised to find the documents in perfect condition, not trusting Flemeth purely because of the fact that she was a witch. Morrigan retrieved the treaties from the hut and handed them to Flemeth, who spouted some more cryptic information about the danger the Wardens faced.

Flemeth had us escort the Wardens back to the tower, so that they could find their way back to the camp at Ostagar.

Once the Wardens had vanished from our line of sight, Morrigan turned to me. "My mother really does love to play around, acting with such mystery. I often wonder on her sanity."

I smiled. "Be sure that she doesn't here you say that."

The return to the hut passed in silence quickly, and Flemeth had a hot meal ready for us. Franklin bounded up to me, looking good as new, and gave me a huge lick on my cheek.

I laughed. "I missed you too buddy."


	5. Chapter 5: Proximity

_Proximity_

A few days had passed with relative calm, seeing Morrigan and I heading out into the Wilds each day to collect various items that Flemeth requested. The only source of trouble were a small band of Darkspawn that assaulted Morrigan and I while we were out collecting herbs for Flemeth who suddenly seemed to think that it would be best if we stocked up.

They were most certainly the worst things I had ever seen in my life. Appearing to be made of rotting flesh, their lips peeled back into the gums and the mouths were curved up into wicked grins. One of them spotted Morrigan and I, and it let out the most blood-curdling shriek anyone could imagine, causing my skin to crawl and my eyes to water.

Thankfully, there weren't that many and we were able to kill them quickly before they could get close. I finally tested out my exploding arrow 'trick' on a real enemy and the effect was extremely satisfying. My arrow sailed through the air, lodging itself firmly between the eyes of the monster that was leading the pack. A few seconds later, it exploded sending a gory mess into the skies. I swear I heard Morrigan release an 'ooh' in admiration, but knowing her she was just messing with me.

After that we returned to the hut and stacked up a few piles of the elfroot we had collected in the corner. Flemeth was quite impressed with our haul and decided that it was time for her to teach me a little more about the nature of magic and where the power comes from.

She taught me a lot, and she made it all very interesting, especially when she darkened the room and did dramatic performances to convey her message. I learnt that all power comes from the Fade – a parallel world of dreams and magic, a place where many things unknown to us live. Spirits, both benevolent and otherwise, occupied this land of dreams and lent us there power – but as with everything, one must exercise caution as it is possible to become possessed, losing control of oneself and acting as a puppet to the demon. My father had told me about them. He said that 'Abominations' (I must admit, I was curious as to why Flemeth never explicitly called them that) were one of the many reasons why mages should be kept locked away.

Growing up in my family, I never really saw magic as a good thing – every single day, my father drilled it into my siblings and I that magic was wrong. When I was much younger, I never really believed him. I always thought that the Maker, or whatever put us in this world, created everything with good intentions. Every mage I had seen in my younger years looked the same – scared and alone. I wished I could have helped them, but… I was too afraid of my father. A few weeks after I turned seven years, two strange people passed through Lothering and my father was called into town to investigate. He returned home that night covered in blood. My mother cleaned him up, and the whole time he was cursing about 'those damn blood mages.'

Listening to Flemeth… I guess I never really had a chance to look at these types of things any other way. I always just assumed that every mage was a blood mage, but only because that is how I was raised.

"Flemeth, have you ever used blood magic?" I asked.

She chuckled. "Me? Oh, no dear boy. I need not worry about that kind of magic. But you-"

Flemeth cut herself short. She focussed on something that I could not see and then stood up. "I must go. Be ready," she stated.

The old witch moved through the hut with startling speed and ran into the trees. A strong gust of wind blew the door shut.

"What was that all about?" I said to Morrigan.

She shrugged. "I know not. 'Tis something you needn't concern yourself with, you can be sure."

I nodded and stood up to resume sorting through all of the plants that we had brought inside. A few minutes passed before my stomach startled to grumble loudly. I must have been so enraptured in Flemeth's conversation that I lost track of time.

Morrigan jumped at the loud noise. "I shall begin cooking," she said, then heaved the cauldron out from around the corner.

It looked like a big effort, so I moved to go and help her pull it out from its space. I was right behind her when the clumsily constructed metal handle snapped off, sending Morrigan right into me.

We ended up on the floor, with her body pressed up close to mine. "I… uh…"

A few awkward moments passed and Morrigan still had not let me go, instead she just let me hold her.

I cleared my throat. "Morrigan..?"

She released me from her grip, and I saw that her face was lightly flushed from what I presumed was embarrassment. I'm not going to lie; I found our close proximity to be quite enjoyable. It was hard to tell due to the nature of her clothing, but Morrigan had quite a body on her and it felt even better when it was pressed against mine. We made perfect shapes, I thought.

Franklin bounded over and proceeded to jump on top of the two of us. He must've thought it was a game, as he had pinned Morrigan down and pushed her even closer to me. He held us down as he barked playfully, watching me very carefully and anticipating my every move. This bloody dog weighed a tonne!

"D-down boy!" I shouted at Franklin, in-between fits of laughter. He lowered his head to the ground and had his butt high in the air, his tail wagging at a speed so high as to make it practically invisible. With a big heave, I managed to push that pesky dog off of the two of us. Morrigan raised herself off me and was about to stand up when Franklin decided to push her down again, this time earning me a face-full of the woman's chest.

We stood up and acted like nothing had happened. It was a strange sensation at first, the elephant in the room, even, but once we began to eat and enjoy the food we sort of just forgot about it. Franklin stood silently behind Morrigan as we ate, watching me patiently. I tried to punish him for his little outburst by not giving him an extra treat from my food, but he looked at me with those damn puppy dog eyes and a low whine, so I couldn't resist.

Morrigan sighed. "He's just trying to be manipulative. I can tell. I do it too."

* * *

We eventually moved outside, as Morrigan wanted to spend time out under the star filled sky. I agreed, so the two of us found a nice patch of grass to lie down in - I even magically started a small campfire to comfort us, earning me a pleased grin.

Time passed us by very quickly. I'm fairly certain that I dozed off a couple of times, but if I did, Morrigan never mentioned it to me.

She spoke softly to me, and pointed up to the sky. "Look up there."

I rolled over, and looked up. Two shooting stars were rocketing across the sky, leaving a blazing trail in front of all the others and it seemed as though they were dancing together in the moonlight. I tilted my head, and saw that Morrigan was smiling. It was a full, real smile… one that took away her dangerous edge, leaving only beauty behind.

"'Tis beautiful, is it not?" she sighed.

I was still looking at her. She hadn't noticed me. "Very…"

If the shooting stars stayed together, I do not know. When I looked back up at the sky, they had vanished. I yawned heavily and took it as my body's way of letting me know that it was time to retire back inside.

"Are you going to bed too?" I asked.

She shook her head and told me that she was just going to go for a quick run and that she would be back soon. It struck me as odd that she would want to go for a run at his time of night, even though it was very beautiful.

But then I got what she meant by run. I watched in awe as she shifted into a magnificent ebony-coloured horse, immediately jealous of her skill. By the Maker did I want to do that. It looked amazing.

* * *

I went inside and stripped down to my underclothes and climbed into the bed. The nights had been getting quite hot lately so I often found myself tossing the furs aside as I slept. It was a quiet night and I slept pretty peacefully, waking up once when Morrigan came inside and one more time when Franklin was barking in his sleep.

I wonder what that dog was dreaming about. Probably food.

Two hands shook me awake, and I found myself looking directly up at Morrigan who had a strange look on her face. I slipped out of the tangle of furs and pulled on some pants while Morrigan kept pushing me along.

"What is going on?" I asked through a yawn.

Morrigan said nothing and stepped outside. I noticed that it was only now was the sun rising over the treetops, barely illuminating the small clearing the Flemeth's hut occupied. I made my way outside and found Flemeth and Morrigan supporting two severely bloodied up men on their arms. I rushed to their side and pulled the bigger man into my grip and helped the two witches to bring them inside.

"Bring me the herbs, quickly," urged Flemeth.

I brought the two small sacks over to her side, while Morrigan administered several potions and ointments to the many injuries that the men had. One of them was an elf, I noticed.

Flemeth grabbed a few handfuls of some of the different plants and rubbed them together in her hands. The was a small flash of light as she applied some type of magic to whatever she was making, and when she opened her hands again there was a small amount of a strange green-purple paste. She rubbed it into only the worst wounds, and to my surprise, they purged themselves of any dirty or foreign objects.

I stood back while Morrigan and Flemeth took turns at working healing spells, but I could tell right away that healing was not Morrigan's area of expertise. Her spells seemed quite paltry in comparison to the effect Flemeth was having who had them looking much better in no time at all. Once the blood and muck had been cleaned off, I recognised the two men as the leading Wardens that Morrigan and I had met out in the Wilds. Alistair; the regal looking one, and Darrian; the scary looking one.

We let them rest, and it was a whole day and a half before Alistair awoke. I'm not normally one for listening in on conversations, but maybe that's because I've never heard a particularly interesting one. Since coming out here, I'd picked up so much more. From what I could make of Alistair and Flemeth's conversation, it seemed that the Grey Wardens had been betrayed by Teyrn Loghain and that the King of Ferelden had died as a result. I'd heard my father mention Loghain a few times, but I did not really know much about him. The King, however, I knew to be a kind and friendly man, though I'd never seen him myself.

Morrigan and I were inside when Darrian awoke. I was busy looking at the bookshelf when Morrigan spoke.

"Ahh, your eyes finally open. Mother shall be pleased."

Darrian looked around the room, possibly just trying to orient himself in the wake of such a long sleep. "Wh… what happened to the Darkspawn?" he croaked.

Morrigan and I told him what became of the Warden's after Loghain's betrayal, of how he retreated when the signal for him to charge had been lit. I told him that his friend was waiting for him outside, to which he responded with confusion.

"You mean Alistair..?" he replied.

Morrigan helped him to his feet. "The suspicious, dim-witted one who was with you before, yes."

He swayed on his feet for a little bit, so we helped him walk around a little bit until he could clear his head.

His voice returned to the same silky smooth texture as the first time we met him. "Thank you both, for helping me. I am unused to assistance from _shemlen_."

I denied any credit for the healing, leaving it to Morrigan and Flemeth. He thanked the two of us once more as we escorted him outside to where Flemeth and Alistair were waiting by a fire.

Flemeth turned to us as she spoke. "See, here is your fellow Grey Warden. You worry too much young man."

After a strange, teary eyed reunion between the two men, Flemeth told them what needed to be done.

"You are the last two remaining Grey Wardens, and it is your duty to stand against the Blight."

Alistair sniffed, and wiped a tear away that had formed in his eye. "But… how? Two Wardens are not enough to defeat an archdemon… And our leader… he is gone."

"Surely there are others we could call upon. What about the treaties?" asked Darrian.

"Of course!" replied Alistair. "Grey Wardens can demand aid from dwarves, elves, mages and other places! They're obligated to help us during a Blight! And Arl Eamon! He wasn't at Ostagar, he would never stand for murder! Nor would the Landsmeet!"

Flemeth was grinning now. "I may be old, but dwarves, elves, mages, this Arl Eamon and who knows what else… this sounds like an army to me."

Alistair was shouting now. I'm pretty sure he was getting a wee bit too excited over his planned revenge. "So can we do this? Go to Redcliffe and all these other places and build an army? Unite Ferelden against the Blight _and_ the tyranny of Loghain?"

The conviction with which Alistair was speaking reminded me of the stories I used to read as a child, of brave knights and the like – stopping at nothing until Justice was done. I mentioned this to Morrigan, and her mouth drew up into a small smirk. She retreated inside to check on the stew that was quietly simmering away.

Darrian was not as concerned with Loghain so much as he was with the Blight. He was, after all, an elf, and held no interest in human politics. "I'd be happy with just staying alive," he said, half-jokingly.

Flemeth snorted. "Well don't expect me to do _everything. _There is, however, one more thing I can offer you…"

Morrigan came back outside to give a report on the state of the stew. I could smell it from where I was, and I began to salivate just the slightest. Franklin, who was lying down next to me, cocked his head in the direction of the smell. I think he was drooling too.

"The stew is bubbling, Mother dear. Shall we have two guests for the eve or none?"

"The Grey Wardens will be leaving shortly, girl, with you and Fox joining them."

Morrigan smiled sweetly. "Ahh, such a shame." As she processed what her mother had just said, it quickly changed to a look of annoyance. "What!" she snapped.

I, too, was not expecting this, but if it was what Flemeth wished of me then I had no choice. I had been staying with them for far too long, and needed a way to repay her. I guess this was to be it.

"You heard me, girl. The last time I checked, you had ears!" replied Flemeth, chuckling heartily.

Morrigan threw her arms up in exasperation. "Have I no say in this?"

"You have been itching to get out of the Wilds for years. Here is your chance. As for you, Fox, consider this repayment for my hospitality."

Darrian was more than happy with the extra help, but Alistair looked concerned. "Not to… look a gift horse in the mouth, but won't this add to our problems? Out of the Wilds she's an apostate. And I'm not sure what he is."

My face twitched with annoyance as he referred to me as though I weren't standing nearby. I was suddenly less enthusiastic about accompanying the Wardens.

"If you do not do not wish help from us illegal mages, young man, then perhaps I should have left you up on that tower," Flemeth replied, in a somewhat snarky tone.

"Point taken," Alistair admitted, slightly embarrassed. Maker, I'd known the man for mere minutes and he was already starting to get under my skin.

Flemeth sent the Wardens inside to have a quick meal before their departure, leaving the three of us standing outside.

"Mother… this is not how I wanted this. I am not even ready—"

"You must be ready. Alone, those two must unite Ferelden against the Darkspawn. They need you both. Without you, they will surely fail and all will perish under the Blight. Even I," said Flemeth, speaking matter-of-factly.

Morrigan nodded, accepting that it was true. Flemeth then turned to me. "And you, Fox. Do you understand? I give the Wardens that which I value above all in this world. I do this because they _must_ succeed."

For some reason, I bowed to Flemeth – I don't know why, but I just felt appropriate – thanking her for all she had done for me. My parents may have been wrong about a lot of things, but they always valued courtesy. "She will come to no harm, I am certain."

We returned inside to collect our things. Morrigan simply took a small pack, and I had my bag still full of the things I had taken from home. I rummaged around in the pack and pulled out the only piece of protective clothing I could find. It was a small leather tunic that fitted me perfectly. Flemeth handed me a newer, sturdier albeit roughly constructed shirt and a pair of pants. I changed quickly and fastened my pack to my waist. My bow was slung across my back, and Franklin was waiting patiently at my side. Darrian asked Morrigan and I if we were ready to depart.

"As I'll ever be," I replied.


	6. Chapter 6: Wanted

**Thank you very much to**_ **everyone **_**reading,**** who favorited me or the story, and those who put this on alert! Enjoy the new chapter :)**

_Wanted_

As it turned out, Darrian had no idea about where to go or what to do first. We marched out into the trees, weapons in hand and our game faces on, but once we had ventured past the grounds of Flemeth's hut he had to stop and ask for directions.

"I suggest a village north of the Wilds as our first destination. 'Tis not far and you will find much you need there," advised Morrigan.

All of us agreed with her suggestion, as no one else could _really _think of a better way to go. If only I had been paying attention to the directions she had stated. I think I was too busy making sparks with my fingertips to really have listened to her.

Morrigan and I led the way out of the Wilds with Darrian and Alistair bringing up the rear. The two men behind us just kept on talking and talking, so much so that I could feel a slight headache coming on. It took us most of the day to get to the edge of the trees, even with us taking the most direct route we could find. The sky was darkening rapidly by the time we had made it out, and we could see the lights of the town far off in the horizon. Morrigan informed us that it was indeed our destination, and that we could make it there in only an hour's time.

Darrian had wished to make camp before we headed to town, to which it seemed only Franklin agreed. We 'deliberated' (more like argued, actually) for awhile, but were getting nowhere so I checked to see if there was a reason behind Franklin wanting to stop. He looked pretty tired to me and he _had_ been lagging behind us for most of the day, so I gave in and joined the 'pro-camp' party. Morrigan could not be bothered arguing any longer and admitted defeat, leaving only Alistair making a push to keep moving. He pleaded one more time that we continue, but when he turned to look at us we had already begun setting up our sleeping arrangements. He resigned himself to the point farthest from the trees that led back into the Wilds, leaving me to suspect that he wished to be as far from them as possible.

We ate quickly but tiredly, the day of walking having put us in need of a good sleep. We slept soundly that night, comforted by the sounds of the insects chirping and breeze blowing through the trees.

I woke the next day to the sounds of an angry witch and a terrified dog. I leapt from my makeshift bed and hurried over to them to see what was wrong, finding it to be merely a dispute over something that Franklin may – or may not!- have eaten.

"You ate my entire bag of herbs, you foolish dog. Do not think I am unaware of where it went," she snapped. Franklin whined pitifully, looking at the ground in shame. "'Tis your own fault for being so entirely gluttonous. Several of those herbs were poisonous. You should be pleased they did not kill you."

I watched this bizarre exchange, laughing at Franklins conversational barking. I laughed harder when Morrigan seemed to understand it.

"Do not be ridiculous. I am certainly not going to give you more, even if I did have more to give," she replied. The poor dog looked so sad! He whined again, in what I think was an attempt at an apology. "Ugh. You have some nerve, creature. And your breath leaves much to be desired. Off you go."

Franklin walked toward me with his tail between his legs, not daring to look back at Morrigan's expression of utter scorn. "Is that why he was sick all day yesterday?" I asked.

Morrigan folded her arms and nodded, still glaring daggers at my poor animal. Franklin looked at her, eyes pleading.

She groaned. "We shall see. I promise nothing."

I gave my dog a reassuring pat on the head and tossed him a small snack from my private supply. He jumped up and caught it, so I presumed that he was feeling much better this morning. Darrian was the last of us to wake, and we had already packed up by the time he opened his eyes.

We finally arrived at the edge of the town. As soon as I realised where we were, all the color drained from my face and I felt my knees weakening.

"Oh, no," I said to myself. How could I have been so stupid? I should have been paying attention…

Darrian turned to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked.

We were at Lothering. I'd spent most of my life coming and going from this place, as my home was not too far from here and we often sold goods to the townsfolk. Surely, by now, the people here would have known what I was and I could be recognised at any moment by someone.

Morrigan, clever as she is, instinctively realised that this was the place I had fled from and pulled me aside. She took a cloth out of her pack and wrapped it around my head in a makeshift hood that, meaning that I could only be spotted up close.

As luck would have it, we made it into the town without so much as a question or even a sideways glance. It puzzled me at first, but then I realised why: Lothering was overflowing with refugees fleeing the Darkspawn. Everywhere I looked, people were stacked up wall-to-wall and they all looked as desperate as I must have the day I escaped from my father.

My father! I was worried that both he and my mother had fled the farm and come here to seek refuge. I drew the hood down closer over my face, seeking comfort in hiding.

I wanted to make my way out of Lothering as fast as possible, but Darrian had other ideas.

"We need to buy a lot of stuff, and we need Sovereigns to buy said stuff," he said to me. "Now unless you've got a hidden pouch of gold, I say we do some odd jobs around here – and I expect there'll be plenty – to earn the Sovereigns we need."

He had a point. I did have all the things I stole from home but I was saving that for an emergency. He apologized for making me stay somewhere that I felt unsafe, promising that I could decide where we were to go next as a way of making up for it. I always did want to run through the Brecilian Forest.

Darrian laughed merrily when he saw that he had won me over. "There's always a way to change people's minds," he said, giving me a playful wink.

Our fearless leader dallied up to the Chanter's Board and snatched up several papers detailing things that needed to be done around town. He handed one to each of us.

"First person to complete their job gets a special prize from _me!" _

I looked down at the slip of paper in my hand. It was written out in rough handwriting that I could barely make out. I looked around to see if Morrigan would partake in 'such foolish games,' and much to my surprise, she was already running off to complete her task. In fact, everyone had begun except for me. Even Franklin had run off on me.

"He won't be getting a treat tonight," I muttered to myself.

_-Bandits, bandits everywhere!_

_Groups of bandits have occupied the area north of Lothering. KILL THEM ALL! _

I ran through the main street of Lothering (if you could even call it a street) and over a bridge in the centre of the town. Directly ahead of me was a large field with a windmill in the middle. There were several small crops running up the sides of the field, beginning immediately where the houses ended. I could see my first group of targets, hiding amongst the wheat that was growing in plentiful supply.

I ducked down and moved along the fence that protected the crops, silently peering over the top to keep an eye on the bandits. They seemed to be counting something small, perhaps loot or some other type of valuable. _Great! _I made my way to a gap in the fencing and drew my weapon. I inhaled deeply, focussing only on my target. I couldn't miss, lest I alert them to my location.

1… 2… 3! _Thwack._

I had felled the bandit closest to me, and the others all jumped up in a panic. _Thwack. _Another one claimed by my arrow. Those guys must have been five silvers short of a sovereign, as they still had no idea what was happening.

I went to draw another arrow, but when my hand clasped nothing I panicked. I looked around for any other weapon I could use, as magic was out of the question. For one, I risked destroying all of the crops – I had no other magic besides destructive spells, and two, any magic strong enough to defeat them all quickly would surely be seen by somebody.

I had no choice but to wade into the thickets, keeping as low as possible while I searched for an arrow that I could recover. The bandits were still hiding in the grass, with their heavy breathing acting as a way for me to tell how close I was to one of them. It was hard to see, too, so I had to remain extra vigilant in my attack.

My hand found a heavy boot which – thankfully – was still attached to the rest of the body. I twisted my arrow out of the man's chest, wincing in disgust as his blood spewed out from the wound. The remaining two bandits were talking to each other, telling themselves to keep down and not look up so they could not be seen.

Slowly, I raised myself from ground level, keeping an eye out for disturbances in the plants.

Something solid struck me in my side. Damn it, I thought. Those bandits were smarter than they appeared.

I rolled out of the way before he could hit me again, and when his fist didn't collide with anything he threw himself off balance and ended up lying on his back at my feet. I could see the other man coming toward me with his sword ready to strike, leaving me with no choice but to kill him with an arrow. He dropped to the ground making a horrible gurgling noise, clutching at the shaft that protruded from his throat.

The bandit at my feet was trying to get up, so I smashed my boot into the side of his head. He went down, but still tried to get up again. I struck downward with the hardest part of my bow, hoping to knock him out cold, but instead it broke down the middle and the splintered end cut right into the back of his neck.

I watched his body twitch for a while, and then it dawned on me that I had just killed – _slaughtered – _several men. I felt sick as I saw the blood seeping into the ground.

I shook myself, trying to calm down. I knew they were bad men, but seeing them die so messily and up close was… awful. _If you're travelling with Darrian, you're going to be seeing a lot more of this! _My conscience, which, funnily enough, had taken the shape of Morrigan, helped me to calm down. After all, those bandits probably would have killed, stolen from, or done who knows what else to those poor people. Thinking about them hurting innocents… Why, it made me angry. _I can do this! _

It was still pretty disgusting stripping them of all their valuables, though.

The next group of bandits were all swimming in the stream together, washing up and trying to catch fish to eat. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to try out a new type of magic that I had picked up on our way to Lothering: lightning!

I was only able to cast small bolts, but that would be enough for what I needed at the moment. I got down onto my stomach and crawled up the hill that was overlooking the river that they were swimming in. I noticed a chest and some weapons down by the bank, and reminded myself to take what I could from there as well.

The air crackled around my fingertips as the lightning formed. Fire magic felt very slow, but powerful. Lightning was a whole other story – fast and _extremely _powerful. I looked around to see if there was anyone who might see me casting, and in the distance I spotted Franklin chasing some massive spiders around. He was really tearing through them, it looked like. At this rate he was going to beat me.

I threw the bolt right at the water in the centre of all of them, waiting to see if any of them had survived the shock. It was quite a relief to see that I'd not have to deal with any angry ones, because I had no weapons and I felt like I wouldn't be able to cast again anytime soon.

There wasn't much in the way of treasure, though I did find a few potions and some bandages that we could put to good use. I rummaged around through the pile of weapons, of which there was quite a bit. I suspected that they had piled them up here when they went swimming. I was about to give up when I noticed a large bow and a quiver of arrows that had been tucked away behind some rocks just a little farther downstream. Intrigued, I picked it up and found it to lighter yet sturdier than my previous weapon. It was black, and made of the strongest wood I'd ever held. The string itself was of a strange texture, feeling almost moist to the touch. I shuddered as I thought of that word. _Moist. _It's just unnecessary. Not to mention disgusting sounding.

The new bow made short work of the last group of bandits – the more pliable string offered an increased draw speed, and the lightness of the bow itself made it far easier to hold and aim. I love getting new stuff.

While I was busy admiring my new 'friend,' Franklin bolted past me and barked happily. He was about to get there ahead of me!

I ran as hard as I could, just catching up to the dog as we hit the bridge that meant we were back in town. Darrian was standing by the Chanters board waiting for one of us to return.

I looked at Franklin. He looked at me.

"Franklin! A pigeon, over there! Look!" I screamed.

He skidded to a halt in search of this faux pigeon, while I cackled maniacally and raced off to our goal. My hood blew off my head while I was running, so I snatched it back up and pulled it back on as fast as I could.

"Well done, Fox," said Darrian. "You win!"

We waited for everyone else to get back, which did not take too long. Franklin nipped at my hands playfully, attempting to get me back for tricking him in our little race. Morrigan returned before Alistair, who came back all covered in mud.

We shared our spoils, and Darrian was pleased with the amount of money we each collected. Each of us turned in our reward from the Chanter for completing their task, and then I revealed my extra loot bag from the bandits.

Darrian whooped in amazement. Apparently, he had never seen so many riches all at once, and then I remembered that he was used to living with little to no money at all.

"Great work everyone! We now have enough money to buy everything we need and then some, so I think we should rest for the night and then go shopping tomorrow. Is everyone okay with that?"

We camped out in the field, just near the place where I had zapped the swimming bandits. The bodies were no longer in sight, meaning that someone had cleaned up the mess or that the river had taken them away itself. Alistair and Darrian both jumped right in eager to clean themselves off.

"Hey Darrian!" I called out. He looked up at me. "What did I win?"

He thought for a moment. "I'll have to get back to you on that one! I didn't think everyone would finish so quickly and I ran out of time to think!" he said, shrugging.

I laughed it off, jokingly saying that I expected something later on. "You owe me!"

"You shoulda seen me before!" I said to Morrigan. "I zapped the hell out of some of the bandits that were swimming here before."

"I did see," she replied. ""Twas quite something."

We were sitting around, enjoying the rest of the sunlight the day had to offer when we heard the yelling. I craned my neck around and saw some angry people coming toward us.

I noticed they were holding makeshift weapons. A lot of them. "Are they… pitch forks?"

The leader pointed at me and yelled, "He's the one they wanted! Let's get him!"

I knew this wasn't going to end well. "Oh… Balls!"


	7. Chapter 7: Enchantment!

_**A/N: Sorry for the minor delay, my computer is whack with poobrain at the moment! Thanks for reading, and an extra big thank you to my reviewers and followers. You guys rock!**  
_

_Enchantment!_

I instinctively drew my bow and aimed it at my attackers, giving them reason to pause. Darrian and Alistair were both at my side with weapons at the ready, and for several moments we stood there in waiting.

The leader looked around at his comrades, attempting to coax them into an assault. "What are we waiting for! That damn bastard killed his own mother! GET HIM!"

I almost dropped my bow when I had heard that. I was shocked. What had happened to my mother, I thought? My mouth hung open, unable to produce a solid response.

Darrian looked at me, eyes gentle and in no way judging. "Is he speaking the truth?" he asked.

I had to think… I just stood there, completely gobsmacked at the accusation. The elf just nodded at me, gathering that I had done nothing of the sort – all from my shocked expression. "When did this happen?" shouted Darrian, his smooth voice silencing every angry 'vigilante' at the bottom of the hill.

"Nigh on two days ago," the leader replied.

Darrian gave me a reassuring smile. "Then you have the wrong man. He has been travelling with me for some time now, and with my friend," he indicated Morrigan, "for longer still."

Most of the civilians relaxed and lowered their weapons, much to my relief. The rest of them cast wary glances at us. A woman of about my mother's age stepped forward. "What reason do we have to trust you? Could you not be just accomplices to the crime?"

"I am a Grey Warden," stated Darrian. He said it so resolutely, so… passionately, you could say. I had no idea why he was defending me with such vigour, but I was glad that he was on my side.

The response of the crowd was mixed: some apologised, even bowing in respect, while others grew angrier still, but not at me. The heat of anger was now shifting to Darrian.

Then I remembered that it was the Grey Wardens copping the blame for the King's death and the defeat at Ostagar. The tension in the air was palpable, leading me to believe that a fight was imminent. Morrigan and I exchanged sideways glances, silently wishing that we could continue without any more trouble.

Minutes passed in silence while the decision to fight hung in limbo. I sighed in relief when the pack decided to disperse and we were able to sheathe our weapons.

Once it was safe, that was when everything that I had just heard actually made full sense to me. My mother was dead, killed at the hands of an assailant presumed to be me. I had no idea who, or why or… unless – and I couldn't see this happening – it was my father, done as an act of revenge to me.

I felt sick. Could he have murdered my mother purely out of spite? Or was there another reason for it, one that was not entirely my fault? My head was spinning as a million ideas swirled around inside my head, each one worse than the next.

Maybe… maybe he wasn't really my father? That would surely explain a lot about me, and why I never really felt as though I were a valued member of the family. I didn't even _look _like my father. There was so much going on inside my mind that I begun to feel a little light-headed and wobbly on my feet.

The next thing I knew, I was lying down on a small bed in the Chantry, staring into the bright blue eyes of a woman I had never met. She had short red hair with a small plat to the side of her head, giving her a very _very _cute appearance. Of course, her unassuming smile helped too.

She waved a hand in front of my face, trying to lure me out of my semi-catatonic state. I took a few moments, but I finally snapped out of it. Her smile widened.

"Hello! I'm Leliana," she said, patting me on the head. "You apparently took quite a fall back there."

I'd fallen? "I'm V – Fox. And… I did?"

I'd almost spoken my real name, but I caught myself before I did, and I don't think that Leliana picked up on it. The woman in front of me chuckled gently. "You did. Your friends brought you here, and left you in the company of the Sisters."

Leliana graciously extended her hand and helped me into an upright position. I took a good look at her clothing, and noticed that she was covered in little smatterings of blood. It looked pretty fresh, too.

I opened my mouth to question her cleanliness, but no words came out. Instead, I looked back and forth between her eyes and the blood on her Chantry robe.

She laughed again. "You are concerned about the blood?"

I nodded.

"Your friends, they got into a spot of trouble at the local tavern… So I helped them!"

"Are they okay?" I asked.

"Yes, for the most part they are fine," she replied, not entirely reassuringly.

"What about Morrigan?"

Leliana thought for a moment. "Morrigan? You mean the bitc- uhh, witch? She came out of it better than anyone else, including myself. She wasn't too happy about you coming to the Chantry."

Morrigan entered the room, waving her hands in dismissal. "Your concern is touching, but you needn't worry about me. 'Tis Alistair you should be concerned for. The fool slipped on some blood and cracked his skull on the counter."

The dark haired beauty stepped in front of Leliana and eyed me curiously, presumably checking for damage.

"I'm fine, really," I said.

"Did you get poisoned? Some kind of insect bite perhaps?" asked Morrigan.

Shame laced my voice, and I was barely able to admit it to Morrigan. "I… no. I just sorta… passed out."

She wore a strange expression on her face, one I took for distaste. Shaking her head was a pretty strong indication of that as well. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

I think that that was the point where I had fully realised everything that had happened to me. I literally had nothing left, save for what I carried with me when I left from home. No friends, no family… just myself. And Franklin.

"Where's Franklin?" I asked, somewhat urgently. I needed to see him right now.

"Outside. Dogs are not permitted within the Chantry walls, I'm afraid," muttered Darrian.

I turned around to see that Alistair and the elf had entered the room too, now. Just as Morrigan had said, Alistair was wearing a tightly wrapped bandage around the side of his head to slow the bleeding. I didn't want to say anything, but I suspected that Morrigan could heal his wound, but she merely chose not to. He was a Templar, after all, and I'd have done the same thing.

We waited around inside for a while until I was well enough to stand, though my legs were still a tiny bit shaky. Leliana slipped through the gap between Morrigan and I, then pulled me over so she could support me. Darrian wormed his way over to my other side and wrapped one arm around my back (and suspiciously close to my backside, I might add) in another gesture of support. Morrigan snickered in irritation.

Thankfully, I only needed their help for a few steps and was walking by myself again in no time at all. The Chantry was crowded with refugees, each and every one of them looking as devastated as each other. Sadness and despair hung thick in the air, making me feel worse with each step I took. I was looking forward to being out of here and with Franklin at my side.

I asked Darrian if we had anything more to do in town, of which there was actually nothing. He'd been shopping with everyone else while I was under Leliana's care, as well as taking care of a few other random jobs that people had needed doing. By the Maker, Darrian seemed like such a great person. Even Morrigan could not deny the effect he immediately had on people, lightening up the mood no matter how grim.

Perceptions of people can change pretty quickly, I was beginning to learn.

Way down at the back of the village and past the windmill was the way we needed to go. I looked at the map of Ferelden, tracing my fingers over our current location and estimating the distance to the Brecilian Forest.

We made our way up the sloping path that led us out of the village. On the approach we heard someone shouting for help, and the familiar cry that could only mean one thing: Darkspawn.

Two dwarven men were cowering in fear, ducking and diving from heavy blows by a small pack of Darkspawn. They were nothing we couldn't handle though, and in a short amount of time the Darkspawn were reduced to piles of… well, bits.

The older, bearded dwarf hurried over to us, thankfulness expressed clearly by his expression. "Mighty timely arrival, my friends. I'm much obliged."

Darrian bowed slightly. "You are quite welcome."

"The name is Bodahn Feddic, merchant and entrepreneur. This here is my son, Sandal. Say hello, my boy," he replied, very courteously.

Sandal bore a vacant expression and his eyes seemed to be just a tad askew. He looked very cute though, I kinda just wanted to give him a hug. "Hello," he said.

The dwarf suggested that we travel together for a time, but he quickly changed his tune once he realised that that would mean travelling with some Grey Wardens and a potentially wanted mage or two. Damn, I thought to myself. It would have been fun to travel with them. Sandal looks like he gets into all sorts of mischief.

They bode us farewell, and set off, wanting to get as far from this town as I did.

For the rest of the day, and part of the night, we soldiered on toward the Brecilian Forest, hoping to make up as much time as we could before we stopped to rest. Darrian did not feel comfortable camping out so close to the Darkspawn horde, and, come to think of it, neither did I. We were about to stop at last when we noticed a suspiciously colored smoke billowing up in the distance. A greenish blue haze was covering the treetops, and the smell that accompanied it was not exactly what you would call pleasant.

"Darkspawn?" Darrian asked quietly.

Alistair shook his head. "I… don't think so. It doesn't look – nor smell – like something that I've seen them do before. Still, it can't hurt to be cautious."

"'Tis a strange sight indeed," added Morrigan, holding her nose in the air for a cautionary sniff.

Darrian slowly moved toward the source of the smoke, stopping very abruptly and causing us all to bump into one another.

A somewhat familiar sounding voice ran gout from the clearing up ahead, but I couldn't see who it was as Alistair was blocking my view.

There was a loud fizzling sound, followed by an even louder bang. "ENCHANTMENT!" shouted the voice.

"Was that… Sandal?" Leliana asked.

I nodded slowly, matching up the voice in my head. "Yes, I think it is."

Darrian gave us the all clear and we marched out into the clearing, to find that it was indeed Sandal. Both he and his father had been sent flying backward by the blast, and part of Bodahn's beard had been burnt off.

What a shame. It was such an epic beard.

"Are you alright!" shouted Leliana as she rushed to their side.

"Yes, we're fine. Little Sandal here was playing with his enchanting equipment again. Got into a small accident, didn't we my boy?" he said, patting Sandal on the head.

"Enchantment!" he replied.

"You know, Bodahn, there could be more Darkspawn around here. We were stopping for the night, so do you mind if we join you here? We can sense the Darkspawn, you know, so we will be able to see if they are nearby and get you and your son out of here," said Darrian, helpfully.

Bodahn stood still as he mulled the idea over in his head. "Yes, I think that would be best. Please, browse my wares. If there's something you need, I'm sure either my boy or I can help you out. Aaaand with your discount!"

Darrian seemed quite eager to show me all of the things he had bought, including several tents and some very comfy bed rolls that I looked forward to using. The stars were shining brightly overhead, reminding me of times when I used to take Franklin out hunting at night and we would camp out together, sometimes for days on end. Father always hated it when I did that, especially when I never told them about it.

Morrigan took her sleeping gear all the way over to the far side of the camp and lit a smaller fire for herself. Once I had set up my stuff next to Darrian's tent (with Leliana setting hers up by mine) I walked over to Morrigan with two bowls of some kind of animal stew that Bodahn had prepared.

She was sitting with her back to everyone, fidgeting with something in her lap. She did not hear me approaching either, and jumped up when I tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

She took the bowl and nodded thanks, offering me a place at her side to sit down.

"I… I am sorry if I seemed uncaring before," stuttered Morrigan. "I am not used to dealing with such situations, so I could never know how you were feeling."

Huh. Morrigan startled me with her 'heartfelt' apology. Not that I minded how she acted, but it was nice to know she cared, at least a little bit. "Not… to worry," I replied, the tiniest ounce of confusion slipping out through my tone.

We sat in an awkward silence for some time, both of us thinking of many things to say, but neither one of us actually saying them. It was weird to think that Morrigan had grown up without knowing the comfort of friendship, or a community, or even a family (though now that I think of it, I'm not sure how much of that I had either).

I looked up to her eyes to find her staring back at me. "So, life in the wilds must have been very lonely."

She took a few moments to respond, perhaps taking time to formulate a response. "At times, perhaps," she replied. "A world full of people and buildings and things was all very foreign to me. If I wished companionship, I rand with the wolves and flew with the birds. If I spoke, 'twas to the trees."

To me, that sounded like one of the most amazing things one could experience. The complete freedom to run around through a forest at high speeds, not having to worry about going back home by a certain time so as not to miss an archery session, and basically, just being away from people. "That sounds wonderful," I replied, somewhat vaguely. I was still picturing myself flying around.

"For a time. But one can only remain a child for so long. I recall the first time I crept beyond the edge of the Wilds. I did so in animal form, remaining in the shadows and watching these strange townsfolk from afar. I happened upon a noblewoman by her carriage, adorned in sparkling garments the likes of which I had never before seen. I was dazzled. This, to me, seemed what true wealth and beauty must be. I snuck up behind her, and stole a hand mirror from the carriage. 'Twas encrusted in gold and crystalline gemstones and I hugged it to my chest with delight as I sped back to the Wilds."

I snickered. "I can't imagine Flemeth was pleased."

Morrigan gave a small smile that was tinged with a bit of sadness, or regret. I couldn't tell which she was feeling. "She… was not. Flemeth was furious with me. I was a child and had not yet come into my full power, and I had risked discovery for the sake of a pretty bauble. To teach me a lesson, Flemeth took the mirror and smashed it upon the ground. I was heartbroken."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Darrian called me over to help get the main fire going again. Alistair had tripped over Bodahn's food pot and spilt it all over the fire, wasting the food and putting out the warming blaze.

I stood up to go over, but then I remembered that I had my bow nearby. I reached for that, and took aim at the ring where Darrian needed the fire to be lit.

I went through my usual motions, breathing deeply and visualising the magic. The arrow cut through the air and hit the target spot on. The earth around the arrow burst to life, blazing with an intensity that was absent from the fire that burned there only minutes ago.

"You are getting better," said Morrigan.

I turned to thank her, but she had already slipped into the covers of her tent and out of sight. I spoke in an awkward way, cutting myself off halfway through the word when I realised she wasn't there.

"Goodnight," I said.

Bodahn and Sandal had retired to their caravan, and Leliana was getting ready to go to sleep too. Darrian and Alistair were sitting together talking about general Grey-Wardening, so I thought it best if I left them to it. It sounded like some pretty intense stuff anyway.

Right at this moment, my bed looked more beautiful than Morrigan. If you didn't count my fainting sleep, I hadn't rested properly for many hours, and it was catching up to me right now. I climbed in and pulled the flaps shut. I wish I could see through the roof.

"Goodnight, Fox," whispered Leliana. It was so quiet that I was unsure if I were meant to hear it.

"Oh. Night," I said back.


	8. Chapter 8: Sickness

_Sickness_

I decided to wake myself some time before everyone else did, so that I could take a walk and make sense of all the things running through my head. I still hadn't really thought much on how I felt about the situation with my mother, or how long I would stay with Darrian, or even what to do about my family in general.

What would my brothers think? If my father has contacted them, perhaps they are all here looking for me now. Growing up the youngest of three was not that bad, even though my two oldest siblings were oftentimes cruel to me. It was only Kevan, three years my senior, who ever seemed to genuinely show me any love.

Hopefully, he hasn't heard from my father yet. As part of his training, he had moved over to Kirkwall to join some of the new recruits there. Kevan didn't really gel with the family much either, now that I think of it. My father used to make fun of him for being 'soft' and going too easy on mages.

Yep. I had plenty to think about.

I poked my head out of the tent flap in search of Franklin, expecting him to be sleeping right next to me like he usually was. I needed him by my side for this one, for moral support – no matter what I say, he'll agree with me. Such is the nature of my most loyal friend. Instead, I looked straight out into the remains of the fire I had lit last night, embers still glowing brightly as the sun that was starting to rise over the treetops ahead.

All of the things I had with me were sitting by the fire, and it was a wonder that they didn't catch alight themselves. When I slipped my clothing on, I found that the warmth from the fire still lingered in them, so I just sat there enjoying the feeling for as long as I could.

Just as I stood up, I heard chatter coming from the trees. Listening carefully, I determined that it was Morrigan, but she seemed to be talking to herself. I made my way through the trees only to find that she was engaging in yet another conversation with my dog.

"Another?" she said. "I just gave you one, fool dog."

Franklin gave an insistent whine, attempting to look as cute as he could. Ears back, eyes wide and tongue poking out slightly. My heart melted just looking at him.

"Perhaps you should go and hunt something, then. For a warrior beast you are remarkably over dependent."

Franklin's tail wagged happily and he emitted a happy bark.

She looked at him, watching him just as intently as he watched her. I assumed that she'd deny him anything more, surprising me when she gave in. "Oh, very well. But tell no one."

After Franklin had eaten whatever it is that Morrigan had given him, I whistled for him and he came bounding to my side. It seemed he had risen with Morrigan and been out for a play, but one that he decided was not long enough – he looked at me, bum in the air and tail wagging.

"Oh no. Don't you dare!" I said to him.

Seconds later, I was tackled to the ground and covered in dog slobber. I laughed as I pushed him off, scolding him half-heartedly.

"My my, you're certainly up early," said Morrigan. "Where are you off to, I wonder?"

"Just for a walk, alone. By alone I mean with Franklin of course."

She opened her mouth to speak, but just as the words were about to escape her mouth, she held her tongue. She considered me, before nodding. "Very well then, enjoy yourself."

I patted my thigh and commanded Franklin to follow, telling Morrigan that I'd return soon. She did not even acknowledge my goodbye, and halfway through saying it I realised she had already returned to camp.

"Damn, Franklin. She is just so…" I struggled to find words to describe what I wanted. Aggravating? Rude?

Sexy?

I was absolutely certain on that last one. I shook my head, clearing it of any Morrigan related thoughts (though I did save some for later) to make way for other concerns.

My oldest brother would have been told first. My father and he were both very close, and while I was still living with my parents we would often receive letters from him, telling us how many mages he'd stopped – I suspect 'killed' is a better word for it – during his rounds. If I ever missed a letter, my father would always make time to tell me about it.

I can still remember to this day the excitement on his face as he read. 'Listen to this! Caden's letter says he tracked a group of blood mages back to their base of operations! He says he destroyed them all before they could even attack! All on his day off!'

Then I had to read the letter for myself, and if I didn't jump for joy at its apex (the petty mages were too busy quarrelling amongst themselves to notice my entrance. I killed them all before they had a chance to think), I'd receive a stern glare and a lecture on how I should be proud of my brother's service.

As far as appearances go, Caden looked the most like my father – same thick dark hair, same silvery blue eyes. His nose was slightly crooked, as he broke it whilst sparring against another recruit many years ago. The next day, Caden challenged the one who broke his nose to a re-match. Caden won, and the kid was never able to wield a sword after that, such was the extent of the damage. My father and brother shared a long talk after that. The next day, Caden was given a new sword. The family sword, in fact.

He was always so bloody proud of Caden. No matter what _I _did though, it was never good enough.

And then there was Markas, and he was only good for one thing: fighting. Whereas Caden was equally smart as he was strong, Markas had a certain vigour that seemed to be super-human. He shared the same auburn hair color that both my mother and I had, albeit his was a small amount darker. Apparently, he had the same deep brown eye color as my mother's father, though I had never met the man myself. His whole body was wrapped in muscle, so much so that being punched by him was akin to being hit by a boulder. He had quite a few mage kills under his belt, too.

My brothers, with whom I had lived for many years, were now possibly looking for me to take me back home, and most likely in a coffin. I slowly realised that it would most likely get to a point where I'd have to choose between my life and theirs. Despite our differences, they were still my family and I loved them as such. All my life I grew up expecting to be just like they were…

Kevan, the one that I could trust the most for help, or even a chance, was also far away, far out of my reach. If he were here, I might have been able to just _talk _with my other brethren.

I kicked a tiny plant that was growing in the shade of many larger ones in my frustration. Immediately, I regretted kicking the sapling. The tiny plant landed just down the path in a small patch of weeds. I went over to it and took the damaged leaves into my hand, gently cradling it until I could find somewhere better for it to hopefully continue growing.

I'm not sure why, maybe it was everything happening, or maybe I was just really tired – or even a bit of both – but I felt myself starting to cry.

Even as I planted the sapling amongst more of its kind, the tears kept coming. They fell to the earth where they briefly mingled amongst the soft undergrowth before sinking down.

Franklin whined plaintively and nuzzled his way under my arm. He licked my hand gently and pressed up closer to me, waiting for me to compose myself.

"Hello? Fox, are you out here?" called Leliana. "Darrian has sent me to look for you."

I looked around and spotted Leliana crossing what looked to be a hill, but was instead a small earthy cliff that could break off at any minute.

"Leliana! Watch yourself!" I called back to her.

She didn't hear me properly, but turned to face me and proceeded to walk even further out onto the cliff where it looked the least stable. "Fox, I've been searching all over for- oh!"

The crumbling earth gave way, and she fell forward toward the ground. I ran over just in time to catch her, and she landed in my arms with a gentle thud.

"Oh my, thank you," she said sweetly.

Her eyes lingered on mine for just a little too long, and suddenly I became aware of her weight in my arms. Not that she was heavy; it's just that there was a fully grown woman right there. In my arms.

Leliana giggled as I lowered her to the ground, and after a she brushed herself off she took me by the hand and led me back to the main campsite where everyone had just finished packing their things.

"There you are my friend. Ready to hit the road?" asked Darrian, who was looking very pleased with himself.

Leliana leaned close to my ear and whispered to me while Darrian had his back away from me. "He hid Alistair's clothing. Alistair had to run around in his smallclothes while he looked for them. He got pretty mad too, going so far as to blame it on a nasty prank by Morrigan. Then Darrian fessed up and took him to the tree he'd hidden them in. I understand it was quite a sight."

Holy crap, Darrian might just be a little bit crazy.

Once we had passed South Reach, it was only an hour or so until we came to a fork in the Drakon River that signalled the closeness of our destination. As a child, I would often come here with my family and a few of our close friends to play in the shallows, but my parents always strictly forebode wandering off into the trees. I'd frequently tried to sneak off with some of the friends that I had come here with: Torr and Kane, two boys, of the same age as myself, with whom I had grown quite close. More people I'd likely not be able to see again.

We followed the Drakon River as it approached Dragon's Peak, and then made our way along the base of the rocky mountain. The trees grew steadily thicker, making us certain that we had reached the edge of the Brecilian Forest. I had passed this place by so many times, whether we were on our way to Denerim or making our way to the River, or just travelling around in general. I always looked on at the marvellous trees that towered over the hills with awe, hoping one day that I might finally see them up close.

The air that blew through the leaves smelt clean and crisp, and was of the perfect temperature. My sense of calm grew only stronger the deeper we travelled and I kept stopping along the way to look at various plants and animals that I could see. I noticed that Leliana was doing the same thing, and she eventually amassed a small collection of pretty flowers that she strung into a chain.

There came a point when Leliana and I had fallen far behind, the rest of the group just tiny specks in the distance. She was doing a kind of dance through the trees, weaving in and out of them with a delicate grace that alluded to skill above what you could acquire as a cloistered sister. I suppose her bloodstained clothing could be linked to that too.

I'm not sure if she started singing because I got closer or if I could just hear her better across a shorter distance, but Maker, was it beautiful. Her soft voice washed over me like a gentle wave, and it sent a strange sensation up my spine. It felt good – really good – to be close to her as she sung; her words felt almost magical and as if they were giving me a small boost to my spirits.

"Leliana! Where'd you learn to sing like that? You're amazing," I said gleefully.

She stopped and waited for me to catch up to her, and I regretted asking her a question as it meant she had to stop singing. "It is a love of mine that I picked up over the years. I find that music is a powerful thing, capable of great emotions, both happy and sad."

"I-"

My ear twitched as it picked up a strange snarling noise coming from the trees. I turned slowly, pulling Leliana in just a bit closer.

"What is it?" she whispered to me.

I told her to keep quiet until we knew what was out there. Then I heard it again, the same low growl that chilled me to the bone. At first I thought it was Franklin, coming back to get me and lead the way to the group, but as the growling became more audible, I knew that it was not him. The sound was wolf-like, but at the same time it held a strange, almost pained cry behind the low rumble.

I pulled Leliana closer still, keeping my eyes locked on the source of the sound. "You can probably tell, but we aren't alone here," I said.

She nodded, and we both drew our weapons. I felt my quiver to roughly guess the amount of remaining arrows I had. There were two.

"Fox," said Leliana. "I think they are–"

Something burst out of the tees and launched itself straight at me. "Werewolves!"

Two more followed behind it, and Leliana and I rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by them. I jumped to my feet and attacked, aiming for the head like I usually did. A quick death, and a one hit kill. Saves time and arrows.

This time, however, and arrow was nowhere near good enough. Sure enough, it hit the beast right between the eyes, but instead of piercing through to the soft parts behind it, it made a small cut and bounced off.

The werewolf roared in anger and charged me, sending me hurtling into a large tree. There was a sickening crack as my leg wrapped around the base, and I knew that it had been broken badly.

Leliana helped me to stand, and despite the pain I aimed another arrow right at the beast's heart. It howled dreadfully, dropping to the ground as blood pumped out of the wound and all over its companions.

I cast my bow aside and summoned a fireball in my hands – the spell I was least skilled at, I know, but it was also my most powerful – and hurled it straight at the oncoming werewolf. Meanwhile, Leliana ran toward the other one with her twin daggers bared. She faked a high attack, and when the werewolf raised its arms, she slid beneath it and dragged a dagger through its gut. The contents of its stomach spilled onto the ground, just as Leliana made it through narrowly avoiding a face-full of gore.

I was too busy watching her to notice that the final werewolf had recovered from my magic. It snatched me up violently, and then tossed me to the ground. I skittered along the surface, my ribs cracking as they made contact with the hard stony ground.

"Fox, look out!" screamed Leliana.

I was dazed by the pain, and I could nothing to heed her warning. The werewolf descended on me with its mouth wide open, and it bit down on my calf. It kept biting harder and harder, and I thought that my leg would snap in half under the pressure.

Suddenly its bite went slack, and it rolled off me. Leliana's daggers were sticking out of the beasts back.

"Thanks…" I said, before I blacked out.

* * *

"How could you be so utterly careless!" shouted Morrigan.

"I… I'm sorry," cried Leliana, in between heaving sobs. "We didn't realise…"

* * *

"Hopefully the Dalish can help," said Darrian, voice soft. "He's lost a lot of blood."

Someone was carrying me. I guessed it was Darrian, as his voice sounded the closest to me.

* * *

"Stop right there, outsider. The Dalish have camped in this spot. I suggest you go elsewhere, and quickly," snarled an unfamiliar voice.

"I am a Grey Warden," replied Darrian. "I wish to speak to your leader."

"A Grey Warden?" the same voice spoke in a hushed manner. "I shall bring you to the Keeper immediately."

* * *

An older man was talking now. "The existence of the Blight is not news to me," he said. "I would have taken the clan north, by now, had we the ability to move. Sadly, as you can see, we do not."

Darrian sighed in frustration. "Naturally. The Blight did bring us here, but now there is something else," he said, lowering me to the ground gently. "Can you help him?"

"I…" replied the old man. I was losing consciousness again. "…heal his wounds. But there is something else…"

"Please," said a woman. Was it Morrigan, or Leliana? I couldn't tell. "You have to try!"

* * *

"His wounds have been dealt with. For now, he just needs rest. He has lost a lot of blood. As for the other sickness… I give him four days. Five at most, if he is strong enough to withstand it," said the old man from before.

What were they talking about, five days? Five days until what?

Morrigan spoke. "Then we cannot delay. If we are to stop them before he transforms, we must not falter."

Oh no. Maker, guide their way…


	9. Chapter 9: Pain

_Pain_

"Urgh, my head…" I grumbled, struggling to open my eyes. They felt so heavy, as if they were weighted down by tiny stones. "Where am I?"

Smells and sounds unknown to me all hit me at once, causing a strange sensation to shoot through my entire body. I forced my eyes open and slowly pulled myself into a sitting position

I looked around the unfamiliar area, uncertain of how I came to be resting in that bed, or why, exactly, I was surrounded by several Dalish elves. I panicked briefly, thinking that I may have been taken prisoner. My hand instinctively searched around for a weapon, but at that point I noticed that they were not hostile, just curious. I swung my legs down, wincing at the intense pain that shot through them, alerting me to the injury I had sustained. Were they… teeth marks?

"How do you feel?" asked the Dalish closest to me. He stepped forward hesitantly, holding out a potion to me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but snapped it shut when I felt the contents of my stomach rushing up instead of words. Another Dalish handed me a small bucket, telling me to let it all out. I heaved horribly, as I my body attempted to purge itself of the sickness. I had spewed up everything, but I just kept retching until my eyes watered. Eventually, the violent shuddering subsided and I was able to reply to the many questions being asked of me.

"How do you feel?" I was asked again. The man who was asking looked straight into my eyes, looking very worried.

"Not great," I replied, taking a sip from a pitcher of water that had been brought to me. "Why… what is wrong with me?"

A few of the older, more wise-looking elves exchanged a troubling look. "Drink this," the first one said. "It'll do you good."

I took the tiny phial, studying the strange milky-white liquid. I was about to deny the offer, but a fresh wave of pain surged through me, and it felt as though the very fibres of my body were being torn asunder, and other things were growing in their stead. I knocked back the whole concoction and waited, not noticing the effect slowly creeping up on me until my body went limp.

A strange haze settled over my vision and my whole body relaxed. People were touching me, but it felt oddly distant. I could see them, but they were many miles away, far beyond my reach.

"Man, am I tired," I shouted. "I'm going to bed!"

The stones were pulling my eyes closed again, and in mere seconds I had drifted back to sleep on a fluffy white cloud. I could hear the elves shouting something that sounded like 'too much,' but I was too peaceful to worry about that.

* * *

"I've been waiting for you, my love," said Morrigan, sauntering toward me with her hips swaying magnificently. She was wearing a beautiful, deep-purple dress that had a very low cut v-shape at the front, showing off a generous amount of cleavage. It trailed behind her slightly, and where the cloth touched the ground a white haze floated out from the ground. Her hair was done up in a strange way that I felt did not suit her very much.

She looked at me, as if sensing my thoughts. "I shall let it loose, then," she said, smiling.

Morrigan released her hair from the bun atop her head, sending it cascading down her back and over her shoulders. She looked at me with her dark and smoky eyes, a look so intense that it set of a burning desire in the pit of my stomach.

She was upon me now, sitting in my lap and facing toward me. Her legs held tightly to my back and she slowly closed the distance between her mouth and mine. Our lips met, and hers tasted of many things, like strong cinnamon and fiery spices, mixed with a sweet wine. We kissed for some time, and she allowed my hands to travel over her body until they came to a rest just on the small of her back.

I closed my eyes and leaned back as her lips trailed small kisses down my neck, proceeding down my chest and past my navel, sending a warm tingle across my skin that spread from the location of her touch.

I opened my eyes again, to find Leliana staring back at me with her bright blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds. Her normally short red hair was flowing freely, much longer that I ever thought it to be and it tickled my skin as she leaned in.

"Leliana, I-"

Something, or someone, was calling out to me through the trees. It was a strange, ethereal whispering that beckoned me toward it. I got up and followed the voices, but it felt like I was wandering aimlessly about – until I heard my mother, shouting through the fog. My pace quickened as I searched for her, but the calling turned out to be the howling of a dog, or a wolf to be exact. The sound sent shivers down my back, but I was drawn toward the pack and before long they allowed me to join in.

The wolf that I mistook for my mother was smaller than the rest, and yet I was certain that she was the leader. All of the other beasts stood behind her, watching and waiting. Her fur was of a soft white, looking light and fluffy to the touch. From her paws, however, it looked as though roots were growing through her legs.

Her snout did not move when she spoke, instead the words formed in my mind. "Come, join us."

"Yes, my lady," I said, bowing low.

The entirety of the wolves in front of me howled endlessly and shrilly at the sky, and I slowly lost the taste for judging right from wrong for my flesh had turned to fur, and my thoughts were turned to instinct and obedience to the pack.

They ran off into the fog and disappeared when I gave chase. I was alone now, surrounded by a thick white fog that was rising ever higher and I was afraid that it would choke me such was its thickness. As the veil crept up my body, I slowly faded from consciousness and back to sleep.

* * *

Burning pains coursed through my body, originating from the lower part of my leg. I looked down and saw black marks that seemed to pulse, appearing to be changing shape with each surge of pain. The darkness spread slowly through my body, revealing many tiny paths under my skin, and the feeling that accompanied it was unbearable. It felt as though someone were pulling my flesh right off my bones, while at the same time my bones were being compressed into tiny little fragments.

"Take this," said a Dalish, holding it just out of my reach, "but only a drop or two. It will ease the pain, but any more than that will put you into the dream state."

I nodded apprehensively, and then took the tincture in my hands. I allowed to tiny drops to land on the tip of my tongue and sighed in relief as the pain subsided. I tried to remember where I had been or what I'd been doing for the past… I don't know. I felt that a substantial amount of time had passed, but I could not say for certain. It was as if a thick white fog had settled in my mind, obscuring my most recent memories.

"How long…" I croaked.

"…Have you been down?" finished the elf closest to me. "Two full days, and the third is almost at an end."

I tried to recall coming here, or even just why I had been asleep for so long, but nothing would come to me. I eased myself into a more upright position so I could look around. There were many other Dalish around me that appeared to be suffering from the same ailment, though they were much worse than I was. Perhaps they had been unwell for far longer, or maybe it was just because they were smaller.

I drank deeply from a pitcher of water that was sitting beside me. I breathed in relief as the cool liquid washed down my throat, smoothing and repairing the dry cracked feeling.

"What happened to me?" I asked.

A middle-aged looking Dalish, who introduced himself as Athras, sat down by my side. "You were brought here by your friends, asking us to heal you. Our best healer patched up all of your breaks and rips, but you were still in quite a bit of pain so we allowed you to drink from a special potion that we usually only give to those who… whose time has come. It eases the passing, through dreams, but too much can cause forgetfulness. You drank the whole phial, instead of two drops like you are supposed to and, well, you were out for a while."

I could remember up to the night we met Sandal and Bodahn in the clearing, right until the moment where I said goodnight to Leliana. The rest was just not there, and it felt odd to try and search through the haze to recall what had happened.

"There is another thing," said another man, approaching me now. "I am Zathrian, the keeper of this clan, its guide, and preserver of our ancient lore. I am sorry to say this, but you have contracted the same disease that has also been plaguing my clan."

I took a few moments to process what he was saying to me, because though I did not know exactly what this disease was, I could certainly feel it inside me. Though the pain had indeed vanished, I could still feel something growing inside my skin.

"Fear not, however," continued Zathrian. "Your companions are seeking out an end to this curse as we speak. I can feel a change coming. It would seem your friends are quite skilled indeed."

Zathrian asked me about myself, and I made sure to spare as many details as I possibly could. I had heard stories of the Dalish being tricksters and some of them even went out of their way to hurt any human unfortunate enough to wander across their territory. I got the sense that Zathrian was hiding something from me, because whatever was inside me seemed to react adversely to his closeness.

It came to be quite late in the evening before anything happened. I could literally feel something changing inside my blood, and at that same time Zathrian ran off into the trees without telling anyone of his plans. Not even the woman who was to replace him knew, so I had no choice but to wait.

"What does it feel like?" asked Athras, as he handed me something to eat. Oddly, he avoided looking me directly in the eye.

"Not very pleasant," I replied. I did not wish to relive the pain, even if it was only in thought. "Why do you ask?"

I looked at him, and noticed that his eyes glistened with tears. He took a few moments to calm himself. "My wife, she…" his voice hitched as he was overcome with anguish.

I tried to console him, and refrained from talking of my pain at least until he was out of earshot. He did not need to know what she was feeling.

We ate together and I did my best to hide the pain that was making its way back to me, this time with a vengeance. Once Athras had left my company, I asked for more of the pain-killer that I was given to help me sleep.

* * *

I had strange dreams again, and this time I was curled up beneath a huge elder tree that was in full bloom, and tiny white petals drifted to the ground. Suddenly, a girl with skin the color of a pearl appeared, wandering aimlessly. She didn't seem to see where she was going, but then I knew that she was listening for the voices just like me. I stood and looked about, brushing the leaves off of my snout, and then I heard my mother shouting through the trees. No, not my mother. It was the white wolf again, and she whined gently at the girl. She saw the wolf and went shaky at the knees, so I took her by the arm and told her that it was okay. As I gazed into her eyes, I noticed that they were a familiar shade of blue, reminding me of someone that I knew. Then, she vanished, along with the white wolf and everything around me.

* * *

My sleep was cut short, and I woke violently. I thought that perhaps the curse had run its course through my body, but thankfully this was not so. It appeared that the curse had been lifted clean from my body, and I could not feel a single trace of it left behind. Most of the elves were all rushing over to the path that led deeper into the forest, where I could see Darrian and the rest of the group approaching. Franklin made a mad dash for me and I barely managed to avoid being crushed by the massive dog as he jumped up to my bed. I hugged him tightly and he barked happily, licking my cheek. He shifted over and rested his head in my lap, making the same snorting noise he always did when he was over-excited.

Leliana came to a halt by my side and dropped to her knees, weeping gently. She rested her head against my side, thanking the Maker many times over that I was safe.

Darrian stood by me next, and helped me into a sitting position. "You alright now?" he said.

"I feel fine. You're bleeding," I said to him, pointing at the nasty gash on his forehead.

"Oh my. It appears I am," he replied, laughing crazily. He touched the wound gingerly and was ushered away to the healer by two of the females that were standing nearby.

I looked at Leliana, worried about Darrian's odd behaviour. "We came across some crazed Sylvans, and he… got hit in the head. Hard. I'm surprised he wasn't knocked out," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"'Tis head trauma, and a fractured skull," added Morrigan, who was looming behind Leliana, eyeing her with distaste. "You are a fool to have lagged behind like that, and I do not suffer fools," she snapped.

"What is your problem, Morrigan?" snarled Leliana.

Morrigan stormed off, shifting into what I think was a kind of snake as she made it to the dense trees.

Darrian called Leliana over to help explain what had happened out in the forest, and why Zathrian had not returned with them. I did not get all of it, but it seemed to me like their leader was responsible for the curse. The clan grieved as the news spread, but it did not stay for long as the previously sick were recovering rapidly, able to join their kin in celebration once more.

Alistair approached me now, wearing a purposeful look upon his face. He was quite far away and I felt awkward just watching him walk toward me. Finally he stopped in front of me, and whatever I was expecting from him, it wasn't what he said.

"I am… sorry. I need to apologise for my harsh judgement when we first met. I don't blame you for being mad, and I know that your people do have terrible tempers," he stammered.

Ugh. This was one messed up apology. "My people?"

"You know, Chasind. Wilder folk."

"Woah. Hold up. I'm no Chasind," I replied.

He looked confused. "What? But you were living with Morrigan and her mother."

"For about a _week._ I daresay I have more in common with you than I do Morrigan."

I told him where I'd come from and how I ended up in the care of Flemeth, and by the end of my story he merely looked at me apologetically. He continually stumbled over his words, and at one point he even said 'I'm sorry for you being a mage,' but I knew that he was trying to make up for any wrong he had done.

"Alistair," I said, looking at him. "It's okay. I understand. Now stop talking before you hurt yourself."

I added that last bit in a teasing manner before I gave him a pat on the shoulder. He smiled, looking very relieved that he had gotten his apology over and done with.

"Hey Alistair," I asked, just as he was getting up to leave. "What brought on this apology? Who do I have to thank?"

"Thank Leliana," he replied. "She might just be crazy, but… she is most kind. You know, I think she has something going for you. I have never seen someone with such drive. The whole time we were gone, I could tell it was you that carrying her along."

* * *

_**A/N: So, after seeing it done this way in another (great) fic, I decided I would reply to reviews at the end of each chapter. **  
_

_****_**The Dark Door:**** Thank you so much! Glad to hear that I got you back into such an amazing game! Also, I love cookies, so thanks for them as well :D**

**AD Lewis: I'm not confirming nor denying, but the story isn't over yet so don't be too sure who he'll end up with... after all, I don't even know myself! And I was thinking of writing another chapter from the P.O.V. of Darrian, but I'm still undecided... Thanks for the review!  
**

**Dragonhuntress: I can't really reply properly to this one, but thanks!**

**And another big thank you to everyone reading and favoriting and following this fic! You guys rock ;)**


	10. Chapter 10: In Darrian's Company

**A/N: Weeew! Another chapter, this time its pretty long too! This is what occurred during Fox's curse troubles. Expect a shift of P.O.V. until the end of the Chapter! **

In Darrian's Company (A Short Side Story)

"Maker, please, protect Fox and allow us to help him," prayed Leliana. She was kneeling in the marshy undergrowth of the Brecilian Forest, aware of but ignoring the mud that was seeping through to her knees. Morrigan turned her head to the devout woman, snickering with disgust before continuing onward. If Leliana heard Morrigan's response, she certainly did not allude to it. Darrian helped her to her feet, assuring her that her friend would be in good health, just as soon as they completed the task at hand. Alistair gave her a reassuring nod too, despite his concerns not resting on Fox's wellbeing. She smiled half-heartedly.

Trees towered above the ground, their thick foliage allowing only a small amount of a green-hued light to filter through. The gentle breeze smelt clean and fresh, if not slightly moist, yet it was a most welcome change for the people now travelling through. Darrian in particular enjoyed the cleanliness, a far-cry from the Alienage he once called home. Coming to this place made him question how he had ever lived in a city like Denerim, his life and safety left to the hands of monstrous men like Bann Vaughan. The elves suffered untold cruelty under his leadership, until one day the man went too far and Darrian had decided that enough was enough. Vaughan never stood a chance that day. Darrian sighed sadly as he remembered all of the friends and family he had been forced to leave behind after being conscripted into the Grey Warden order. It was not that he regretted his decision to leave; he was just concerned for the safety of those who remained at home. Darrian watched as Leliana delicately stepped over some fallen branches ahead, and he was reminded of the woman he was supposed to wed. The two of them shared a beauty that was more than just what one could see on the surface, one that sprung from the heart like kindness and love. In a way, Darrian was thankful for a reason to have called off the wedding, for as beautiful as Nesiara was, she just wasn't his 'type.' It would have been unfair to have stayed with her, as he could never have truly loved her the way that he was meant to.

Darrian was snapped out of his melancholic state of remembrance when his foot sunk deep into the moist earth. Unlike the hard and dusty paths of his home, the soft terrain here made it tiresome to walk. Due to the condition of their usually constant companion, they could not afford to take a rest – lest the curse take its hold and they lose Fox to his more animalistic side for good. Both Alistair and Darrian often lagged behind, the effort getting the better of them, but they would push on so as not to be outdone by a priest and a forest-witch.

Without defined roads, the group found the forest difficult for them to navigate - even Morrigan had trouble making sense of which way to go, and she could not merely fly ahead like she used to, because the canopy was much to thick. As per the elves' instruction, Darrian continually lead the group toward the northwest area where they were told would lead them to the hideout where the werewolves were gathered. Just beyond a small slope of wet grass, they came to a crossroads of sorts that begun where a waterfall hit a stream that flowed around a small bar of land in the water. Fallen logs created a path that was (more or less) safe for them to cross. The wood creaked and groaned under the weight of them all but they made it across unscathed. Once they were all on the middle of the crossing, they found themselves surrounded by a pack of werewolves, led by a pale yellow-brown one that - shockingly enough - did not attack as soon as they made eye contact.

The weres stood tall and strong, their posture hinting at a human origin. The group approached cautiously, weapons not quite drawn but their hands ready should they need to do so. The leader spoke in an odd, strangled way, as though the whole concept of a conversation were new to him.

"The watch wolves have spoken truly, my brothers and sisters," he growled. "The Dalish send a human, of all things, to repay us for our attack, to put us in our place. What bitter irony."

"Y-you speak?" stammered Darrian. These beasts were truly terrifying, the constant low growl highly unnerving to all but their own kind. "I thought werewolves were savage beasts."

"We are beasts, but no longer simple and mindless! Let that thought chill your spine! You speak to Swiftrunner. I lead my cursed brothers and sisters. Turn back now, go back to the Dalish and tell them that you have failed! Tell them that we will gladly watch them suffer the same curse we have suffered for too long. We will watch them pay!"

Leliana gulped, apparently still a little terrified from the attack she had faced earlier. Even Morrigan, who had poked fun at Leliana for being so afraid, backed up a little bit until she was standing well behind the group. Magic flowed beneath her skin, pooling in her fingertips as she readied a frost spell to immobilise the enemy.

Darrian slowly moved his hands away from his weapon, breathing evenly so as to calm himself down. He cleared his throat and spoke as charmingly as he could, in a way that could melt the heart of even the coldest Qunari. "We would prefer to talk. We mean you no harm."

Swiftrunner growled menacingly, causing a very slight whimper to slip from Leliana. "Was it not Zathrian who sent you? He wishes only our destruction, never to talk."

"Please," replied Darrian. "Is there no way that this can be resolved peacefully?"

"The time for peace is long past. There will be no peace between the elves and we who are cursed."

Morrigan had stepped forward once again, sensing the opportunity to ask a question she deemed prudent. "Tell me more of this curse of yours. 'Tis what ravages the Dalish now, is it not?"

"You know nothing, do you? Nothing of us and even less of those whom you serve. You are fools and we are done talking! Run from the forest while you can, run to the Dalish and tell them they are doomed!"

"I don't want to fight," interjected Darrian. "But neither can we retreat. If there is any way to rid someone of this curse, we have to find it... and when we do, you can be done with it too."

Swiftrunner remained silent, thinking over Darrian's wording, thinking that perhaps there was some truth to his statement. "I do not want to fight you either, but we cannot trust you. Come, brothers and sisters, let us retreat. The forest has eyes of its own, and it will deal with the intruders as it always has."

The werewolves turned and bounded away, disappearing into the trees after a few seconds.

"Well, that was... mildly alarming," coughed Alistair. "I really didn't think that it'd end as well as it did."

"Nor did I, but I suspect that there is more to this than what the Keeper originally suggested. Let us continue on, Fox's time is dwindling as we speak," agreed Morrigan.

Alistair was almost as surprised about Morrigan agreeing with him as he was about the whole ordeal they had just narrowly avoided.

Darrian led them onward, and Alistair stopped momentarily to enjoy the fine mist that was bursting from the waterfall. He sighed in pleasure as the water beaded into tiny drops on his face. In no time at all, he had become soaked and the pleasure gave way to irritation as the wet leather chafed his skin and became heavier than it usually was. Once Alistair had had his fun, he looked around and noticed that everyone else had already disappeared over the hill. He wondered on why everyone was rushing, and then he remembered that Fox was waiting behind at the Dalish camp, going through things that only the Maker knew.

Despite not trusting him, nor really liking him, Alistair would never wish what had happened to him on anyone. Except maybe Loghain. As he made his way over the hill, he saw the rest of them soldiering on ahead. Each of them were determined to find a way for Fox to get better, and each of them had a different reason. Leliana's motives, perhaps, were the easiest to discern. Ever since they had met her, she had shown a particular liking to Fox, and in the short time that they had travelled together that liking had grown into something more. Alistair was quite jealous of Fox for this reason, despite knowing that he had no right to be. Even if Leliana were to suddenly become more interested in Alistair, he would not be able to act on it. Not only was he a Grey Warden, which meant that he would not be able to stay with her forever, but he had other responsibilities that he would have to live up to, leaving no time for love. It was a sad truth, but one he had faced and accepted a long time ago.

Then he looked at Darrian, wondering why he seemed so invested in Darrian's survival. It wasn't love, though he suspected that the elf preferred men over women. In fact, he knew that to be true, as he had caught the man checking him out more than once and he had even attempted to cop a feel of Alistair's behind. So perhaps it was something that Fox had said to Darrian, something that linked them with a sense of camaraderie, or perhaps they were exactly what they seemed: friends.

Morrigan, though, was the most concerning. She acted as though she did not care at all for him, but even Alistair could see that there was something there. But was it love or lust, or was it something dangerous? From the moment they had met, Alistair had distrusted Morrigan, and while part of that distrust stemmed from the fact that she wielded magic, some of it just sat uneasily in the pit of Alistair's stomach. Everything she did alluded to ulterior motives, from the way she snuck away at night while they were camped, to the way that she always seemed to just be around when he did not want her to be.

"Alistair!" called Darrian, waving at him eagerly.

Alistair climbed the last few steps over the ridge, and the light of the sun cascaded through the trees all around him. It bounced off his golden hair, shimmering brightly in the in the warm light.

Darrian stopped momentarily, dazed by his friends rather 'kingly' appearance. His golden hair made it look as though he were wearing a crown, but the illusion quickly dissapated when he stepped out of the light. Darrian hid his disappointed look and turned around, marching onward into the forest.

The land had become disturbed due to the presence of the many large tree roots that wove in and out of each other, and it created a path that funnelled them in one direction - Darrian just hoped it was the way that they needed to go. He could not admit that he was feeling a little lost, especially when so much was riding on his success.

He was too busy worrying about where they were going to notice that the forest had become eerily silent, with not even so much as the chirp of a bird to let them know that they were not alone in the thick woods.

"Can anyone else hear that?" asked Leliana, looking around cautiously.

"More werewolves?" replied Darrian.

Leliana shook her head. "No," she whispered, "something... bigger."

Alistair and Darrian shared a worried look, and Morrigan gripped her staff tightly.

Massive roots sprung forth from the ground, tightly enveloping Morrigan in a constricting grip. She cried out in pain and her staff slipped from her fingers as she was crushed slowly. "Release me!" she screamed.

Leliana immediately got to work cutting her free, while Alistair and Darrian had to deal with the two wild Sylvans that had sprung the attack. They hacked and slashed, sending tiny chips flying around, having little effect on the lumbering creatures. Leliana almost had Morrigan free when she was knocked aside by a massive swing that sent her tumbling away. Morrigan was able to move enough to wriggle her way out of the trap, and snatched up her staff as quickly as she could. She jammed the end of it into the ground and sent a massive wave of fire that quickly caught to both of the creatures.

They groaned hideously, writhing in pain as the flames made very short work of them. She sneered at the ashen remains, satisfied with her work. Alistair helped Leliana to her feet, while Darrian checked to make sure that Morrigan had not been hurt either. As a collective, they had not taken much damage and came out of that battle relatively unscathed. Morrigan had tiny scratches all over her skin and Leliana would have a nasty bruise in a short while, but it was nothing that a little rest and/or magic could not take care of.

They continued onward, weapons ready this time, and followed the path until it opened out into a small clearing, in the middle of which stood a huge Sylvan that was not only larger than the others that they had encountered, but also bore leaves of amber that were rather beautiful.

The tree unfolded its arms and turned its gaze to the travellers. "Hmmm... What manner of beast be thee, that comes before this elder tree?" it asked.

"Woah, how is it that you can talk?" said Alistair, delightfully amazed.

"How do I speak? The same as you. I form the words and sound them true," it stated. Alistair and Leliana exchanged happy glances, enjoying the way that it spoke in rhyme. Morrigan stood back with her arms folded and a sour look upon her face. "Now I have answered a query of thine, but thou hast yet to answer mine."

"You're... not going to attack us, are you?" asked Darrian.

The tree pondered for a moment. "Ah, thou speakest of the others, how filled they are with hate? I apologise on their behalf, they cannot control their fate. Allow me a moment to welcome thee. I am called the Grand Oak, sometimes the Elder Tree."

"It... rhymes?" said Morrigan, a little bewildered. "'Tis a rhyming tree, one can only imagine what kind of spirit is involved here."

"And unless thou thinkst it far too soon," continued the Elder Tree, "might I ask of thee a boon?"

Darrian sheathed his sword. "Sure. First though, can you tell us where we might find Witherfang's lair?"

"In the center of the forest the weres do dwell, or so go the tales my fellows tell. But they cannot be followed there; the forest doth protect the weres."

"Riiight. So is there any other way to the center of the forest?"

"Perform the boon I ask, and I shall reward thee for the task. I have but one desire, to solve a matter very dire: as I slept one early morn, a thief did come and steal an acorn. All I have is my being, my seed. Without it I am alone indeed. I cannot go and seek it out; yet I shall die if left without."

"Very well. We will help you," replied Darrian.

The tree sighed with relief. "Go to the east to find this man. I shall await, do what thou can."

The Elder Tree stiffened, wrapping its arms tightly around its twisted body. Only upon closer inspection would one be able to tell the difference between the Grand Oak and a normal tree of a less 'animated' variety, and knowing that they were done talking the group moved on. Leliana and Alistair exchanged excited chatter, utterly impressed by the quality of the rhymes the tree had produced.

Just beyond the Grand Oak clearing, Darrian spotted a campsite that appeared remarkably intact, as if only recently abandoned. The tents and bedrolls were warm and dry, despite being covered with fallen leaves. Leliana examined the fire pit, and found that it was smoking slightly and possessed enough embers to start a small flame. She looked around for any sign of inhabitants, but there were none.

"How odd," said Morrigan. "A camp with no campers, complete with fire and warm blankets. Rather inviting, would you not say?"

Leliana frowned. "I find this more suspicious than inviting. Perhaps if we search the area, we will find more clues as to its nature."

Alistair investigated the decent sized tent that stood by the fire, pulling aside the flaps and peering in. "It's so dry, and... cozy. Oh look, it's clean too! What a pleasant place to rest my head... The elven hunters didn't set this up. How strange. And yet it all seems so... friendly. I want to do nothing but remain."

"No," stated Darrian. "We cannot sleep here. We need to go."

The elf tore himself away from the cozy tent, a move that required all the strength that he could muster. A wave of weariness washed over him, despite all of his best efforts to resist it. His companions also felt the effect, swaying slightly on their feet as it passed through them. Despite the overwhelming sense that something was very wrong here, Darrian felt compelled to continue searching around the campsite, if not only to linger there just a little longer. Going by Leliana's inspection, Darrian decided to take a better look at the glowing remains of the fire pit. It had been untended for several hours at most, and the embers drew him in, hypnotising him with their serene beauty.

"Do not... look in the fire," Morrigan struggled to say, "It draws my strength. Perhaps we should... sit down... rest..."

"Grrah..." muttered Darrian. "Stay alert... This could be some kind of trap..." he said with a yawn.

The flames emitted a sudden warmth, further draining away the strength of everyone present. Darrian struggled to turn away, and an uncomfortable chill seeped back into his bones. He felt truly exhausted.

"But the bedroll..." whined Alistair.

Darrian reluctantly examined one of the few bedrolls that were strewn around the camp. He found it to be clean and warm, and he only then realised that he felt like he had not slept for many nights. Perhaps all the rigorous nights of righteous 'Grey-Wardening' were finally catching up to him. Come to think of it, he really had not slept for a while. It would be so nice to just curl up and sleep under the crisp warm folds.

"You know," murmured Alistair. "I feel as if I could sleep for days. Do you feel it? It's... not quite right."

"Sleeping here would be bad, I think. We should really... leave."

Darrian, their fearless leader, attempted to walk away from the campsite. Something powerful drew him back, and he was unable to resist its strange siren's call. It was as if a mother's kind touch were guiding him back to the tents, where he quickly collapsed, drifting off into a blissful sleep.

As their heads hit the soft feathered pillows, everything snapped back into place and a harsh reality set in. Where soft plush bedrolls once lay, instead sat piles of the bones of countless travellers who had been lured into this dark trap.

Morrigan leapt to her feet, clutching her head as she struggled with the effects of having all of her power sapped away. Dark energies rolled along the earth, coalescing into a spot just at the mouth of the campsite. It stacked upon itself until it formed a single, solid shape: a Greater Shade had revealed itself, greatly angered that someone had managed to slip from its grasp.

It swam through the air, winding its way around Morrigan and sending shivers of pain through her body. The festering cloth that hung loosely over the beast snaked over Morrigan's arms and legs, wrenching her skin and making it feel as though it were being torn from her very bones.

She inhaled a single deep breath before the cloth covered her face, and she drew in all the magic she could. An outward blast of pure mental energies sent the Greater Shade recoiling in fright.

"You will learn to fear me!" she roared, gathering even more power in the tips of her fingers. Her nose begun to bleed with the effort, but she persevered. A blast of pure winter issued forth - freezing the ground on its destructive path to the monstrosity that stood before her. The cold crept up the cloth fibers, snapping it into a deep freeze. The creature panicked, and made an attempt to escape from its icy encasement.

Morrigan chuckled maniacally as the demon froze in place. Her hands waved high in the air in a circling motion, and the rocks on the ground swirled around her in a haze of dust and twigs. The rocks collected together and formed many larger rocks, which, in turn formed ones that were larger still. A fist of stone solidified in the air, and she launched it with startling speed at the demon. She could have sworn she heard it shriek in fright as the rock hurtled toward it.

The beast was reduced to dust, with a single bright silver ring lying in the mound. Upon closer inspection, Morrigan found an inscription reading 'dusk' that ran along the inner rim of the ring.

"Urgh... My head!" groaned Alistair.

"What happened to us?" asked Leliana.

Darrian stood slowly, his joints creaking with pain due to the odd angle that he had fallen asleep.

"Whilst you were napping, I had the good fortune to do battle with a rather powerful Shade. 'Tis lucky I were here to defeat this hungry spirit. One might wonder how it learned its trick . No matter. It shall prey on no-one else, no thanks to myself," grinned Morrigan, the perfect picture of modesty.

With the Shade defeated, the unnatural fog that dampened the area lifted quickly. It was plain for all to see now, not just Morrigan, that the campsite was ancient. The many remnants of all the Shade's victims were lying about as if sleeping still; the sight of this sending a deep chill all up Leliana's spine.

Once a quick health check had been passed on the group, they continued on. They marched onward to the bend just beyond the stream, but just as they were about to make it beyond the curve a familiar sound rung out from the trees.

"Is that... Franklin?" muttered Darrian, stifling a laugh.

Up on another hill, Franklin had a leg raised to an auspicious tree and was marking his territory with a proud grin plastered across his Mabari mug. Upon the completion of his business, he dashed down toward group and planted a thousand licks on Darrian's cheek. He shook with excitement as he could not decide out of Morrigan and Leliana who he wished to greet next.

"H-hey, Franklin!" squealed Leliana, amidst a shower of kisses from the dog.

He barked playfully, tail wagging at its usual break-neck pace. He took a chunk of the hem of Morrigan's dress in his mouth, pulling her along a path that only Franklin seemed to know. Streams and rocks and beautiful trees flew by in a blur, and there was no way of knowing where they were going. Fox often spoke highly of his faithful Mabari's intuition, so they followed him along without hesitation. Even Alistair, whose level of trust in Fox was not the greatest, knew of the smarts that most Mabari Warhounds possessed.

Many times they ran past packs of wild animals, none of which even took a second glance at the passing group. Whether it was the Mabari dominance that was active due to Franklin's marked territory, or some other kind of animal intuition, something was protecting them from attack. They had reached the stone columns that marked the easternmost part of the Brecilian Forest, and Franklin just led them beyond the faux-gates. The dog left no time for Darrian to gather the party and venture forth, as Alistair was now beginning to lag behind.

After what seemed like a solid hour or so worth of running, during which they passed some ruins that were covered by a thick fog, they finally came to a definite path. In the small area beyond, strange chatter could be heard coming from what sounded to be an old man. Franklin took off once again, making his way to the source of the sound. The party followed along shortly, finding themselves in the company of a mad hermit. In his clearing stood only the most basic of things, with the most congenial being a tent made of various pelts.

"Ohoho, hello there," chuckled the crazy old man. The hermit watched with an amused stare as Franklin proceeded to relieve himself on the side of the tent. He turned around and jumped in fright when he spotted his new company. "Oh dear, oh dear! Not a werewolf and not a spirit, even, what are the woods coming to?"

"...Waaait. Are you the thief who took the Grand Oak's acorn?" asked Alistair.

"Hmmph! Mayhap I did and mayhap I didn't! Have you come to claim it back? Oh, what fun! But we are getting ahead of ourselves already. Ask a question and you'll get a question, but give an answer and you'll receive the same! Oh, I do so love to trade!"

"Look man, I really just want the Grand Oak's acorn," said Darrian, tiredly.

"NO!" screamed the man, "that is not a question! And if it be an answer, it be an answer to a question I've not asked! Have you no sense for the rules!?"

Morrigan leaned into Darrian's ear, whispering to him softly. "Be careful. This is no ordinary madman. He has magic... I can sense it. Powerful magic."

Darrian was about to ask a question of the hermit, as per his rules, but found he was no longer able to. The tip of Leliana's dagger was sticking through the man's neck, the wound spraying blood as he tried to breath.

Everyone was shocked, but it was only Morrigan who was genuinely pleased by Leliana's move, though she would never _ever _let her rival know that. The two men of the group looked both angry and frightened.

"What?" asked Leliana. "We cannot waste time dallying while Fox is in his condition."

She immediately got to work searching the man's corpse, but did not find the acorn on his person. Morrigan melted the lock off of a nearby chest, prying the lid open and rummaging around on the inside. That did not turn up anything successful either, and Leliana began to regret her rash action, fearing that the hermit had hidden in it in such a place that only he could find.

Darrian had given up his look of strong disapproval, as he too wished to speed things along. A suspicious looking tree stump hummed with energy as the elf approached it with the sole intention of reaching inside. Morrigan warned him against doing so, but he reached in anyway and came out unscathed and clutching a beautiful golden acorn.

"We have what we came for," snapped Leliana. The woman seemed on edge to everyone, and Darrian was reminded of one of his friends from the alienage - Shianni. Leliana had the same fire driving her as Shianni did, evident in the life behind her eyes.

Alistair waited for the two women to march off ahead before he voiced his thoughts to his supposed leader. "I know that they both are sweet on the guy, but is their determination really necessary? I expected it from Morrigan at least, but Leliana too? Surely someone who has spent as much time in the Chantry as she would have a different view on people like Fox – an apostate mage, and probably a murderer at that!"

Darrian stopped dead in his tracks, shocked by Alistair's outburst – Fox had done nothing to suggest that he was untrustworthy. "What are you suggesting that we do, Alistair?" he replied, not even bothering to hide the anger in his tone.

"I just think that with everything going on right now, some of us seem a little bit too pre-occupied with the safety of just one person, especially when the fate of Ferelden rests in our hands."

"Ugh," growled Darrian, irritation growing with every word that came out of the man's mouth. "Why don't you like him, huh? What did he ever do to you, to make him the object of your scrutiny? Is it because he's a mage?"

"No, it's just that-"

"Whatever," said the elf, cutting him off, "this conversation is over."

Darrian stormed off, barely allowing a red-faced Alistair to trail behind. He just could not understand where Alistair's fears were coming from – while yes, a lot of who Fox was and where he came from remained a mystery to them all, what was a man without secrets anyway? After all, in time the secrets will become irrelevant, but the fact that you kept them will never be forgotten. Darrian trusted that, in time, Fox would open up and tell them all more about himself, but it was not something that he would push. He even suspected that Alistair himself had a secret, probably one that had the potential to make or break their friendship.

But, something that Alistair had said did give Darrian reason to think. Why did he trust Fox as much as he did? Perhaps it was because of the way that they often agreed with each other on many things, or perhaps it was that they shared a similar sense of humor. He smirked to himself, realising that another key contributor to Darrian's admiration of Fox was the way the sunlight shimmered on the streaks of golden brown that swam amidst the deep emerald green that was the color of Fox's eyes.

He shook himself. He had to stop thinking of the man in that way – he knew the feelings would never be returned. Perhaps he'd find another nice elven man one day, one that would challenge his perceptions of what a relationship could be like. Darrian pictured himself hand in hand with the fictional hero of the tales his father used to tell him as a child.

But despite Fox's looks, he felt that they shared a kinship that originated from the way they both were forced to leave the lives they had known because of the evil acts of another. Except Fox probably didn't break into a castle to kill a Bann.

"Darrian, quit daydreaming!" yelled Leliana.

They had reached the Grand Oak clearing in what seemed like no time at all. Dreaming up relationships with fictional characters seemed to be a great way to pass time.

"My acorn is still gone, so I pray to thee… hast thou any news for me?" asked the Elder Tree, hopefully.

Darrian rummaged around in his many pockets, at last pulling out the tiny golden acorn. "Is this the acorn that you seek?"

"My joy soars to new heights indeed! I am reunited with my seed!" it said, very slowly clapping its hand-like branches together with excitement. "As I promised, here it be. I hope its magic pleases thee. Keep this branch of mine with thee, and pass throughout the forest free." The Grand Oak reached to its back and pulled, until a small branch came loose. "I wish thee well my mortal friend. Thou brought my sadness to an end. May the sunlight find you, thy days be long, thy winters kind, and thy roots be strong."

Darrian grinned, happy to have had a positive effect on such a marvellous creature. "A gracious gift, from you to me, so filled with happiness now us three be," he said slowly, trying his hardest to create a rhyme of a similar calibre to one of the Grand Oak's.

The tree stiffened, once again returning to a much more natural looking appearance.

Franklin ran up to Darrian and snatched the branch out of his hands, taking off in the same direction he had led them when they came to the hermits clearing. Darrian found himself constantly thankful for the presence of the dog, because without him they would have been wandering around aimlessly. The Mabari skidded to a halt just a few paces short of the dense fog they had run past earlier. It looked thick and dark and poisonous, everything about it making Darrian want to turn and run away. Franklin urged him onward, and as he got closer he found that the fog just seemed to vanish.

The Grand Oak's branch had indeed allowed them to pass the mystical barrier, beyond which lay some of the most amazing structures that any of them had ever seen. Rolling hills clashed with massive crumbling buildings, the architecture lending itself to an ever increasing sense of grandeur. Stone pillars rose into the sky, blending in with the thick tree trunks scattered around the area. Green leaves decorated the sky, creating a beautiful cascading aura of warm light.

Darrian watched the light refracting through the particles that were floating through the air, giving the illusion that they were surrounded my many millions of tiny forest sprites. They settled high upon the stone towers, just out of reach on the branches of the tallest trees, and on the shoulders of – Swiftrunner.

He was looming in the distance, glaring angrily at the four of them (five if you included Franklin). The group slowly approached the were, remaining cautiously optimistic that another fight could be avoided.

"Hrr…" growled Swiftrunner. "The forest has not been vigilant enough. Still you come. You are stronger than we could have anticipated. The Dalish chose well. But you do not belong here, outsider. Leave this place!"

More wolves joined Swiftrunner at his flanks.

"Why won't you let me try and settle this dispute?" begged Darrian.

The leading were hesitated. "Hrr… You are sent by the treacherous Dalish to kill Witherfang! I will not stand by and allow that to happen!"

"Please," Darrian continued. "I've no intention of harming Witherfang. I want to talk."

"I… hrrr… I do not believe you. I will not risk believing you. You are an intruder in our home! You come to kill, as all your kind do! We have learned this lesson well. Here Witherfang protects us. Here we learn our names and are beloved. And we have learnt the name of one of yours… Witherfang has brought us the Fox. He will come to join us, and together we will defend Witherfang and this place with our lives!"

Swiftrunner howled to the sky, calling his brothers and sisters to action.

"I am sorry," grimaced Darrian. "But we have to succeed."

Morrigan unleashed an icy torrent; snap freezing the two of the four werewolves in place. Swiftrunner became enraged over how quickly his companions had been dealt with, charging at the caster with vicious speed. He reared upward, towering over her, and slammed down with incredible speed and power. She was only able to dodge half of the attack, crying out in pain as a massive paw crunched into her side. The attack tossed her aside like a ragdoll, her body hitting the dirt and skidding along. In the meantime, Alistair and Leliana had tag-teamed the other werewolf, leaving Swiftrunner in Darrian's hands.

The elf bashed Swiftrunner in the head several times with the pommel of his greatsword, causing the beast to fall back in a daze. It swung at him wildly, but he was easily able to dodge thanks to the laziness of the swipes. Darrian knocked the Were against the side of a tree using the flat of his blade, sending it in a slump to the ground.

Just as Darrian was about to deliver the final blow, a magnificent white wolf dived down onto him from the top of a hill. It snapped fiercely, sending the elf cowering backward. It howled, and then ran off into the trees with Swiftrunner in tow.

One Morrigan had been patched up through the use of several potions and a minor healing spell, they pressed onward and into the ruins. A grand gate opened out from beneath the earth, into which some more Weres retreated.

"We are invaded!" they roared. "Intruders have deceived their way into the forest's heart! Fall back to the ruins, protect the lady!"

"We should move quickly," stated Morrigan, "before they have any chance to lay a trap."

Darrian agreed, and they hurried in through the sunken entrance. Many flights of stairs eventually gave way to a small foyer, with a single wooden door covered in wrought iron patterns.

"Are we ready?" Darrian asked the group.

They all nodded, not speaking so as to hide their sense of unease. Darrian pushed the door open, wincing as the metal frame scraped on the tiled floor. The room beyond was as magnificent as the ruins outside, if not more so. It featured the same high arches, however this time they remained intact and (almost) as amazing as they would have been when originally erected. Parts of the walls had crumbled away, revealing the many tightly woven roots from the trees above. They snaked along the surface, winding in an out of the bricks and holes.

The middle of the room split down to a lower level, with cracked, rubble covered stairs leading the way. Two torches were lit at the head and foot, signalling to all that the ruins were no longer abandoned.

"Is… this an elven place?" asked Alistair. "Did the elves live underground just like the dwarves?"

The lower level of the floor had cracked and fallen a several feet, but the huge tree roots created a safe enough path down. Darrian extended a hand to both Leliana and Morrigan, but turned a cold shoulder to Alistair, who ended up slipping down and falling onto his backside. Alistair hoped that their relationship would be able to return to its usual amicable state, as he did not know how much longer he could handle Darrian's constant frosty glare.

Unfortunately, they had the bad luck to run into a few more werewolves, though they dealt with them quickly. Another door led to many staircases, each of them coming off of a long hallway like the veins on a leaf. Most of them were dead ends due to cave ins, but before long they found a path that led them deeper.

It pained Leliana to pass up the opportunity to collect all the treasure scattered about, but it pained her more knowing that if they did not succeed here Fox would be lost to them all. She had witnessed with her own eyes the pain the elves were going through whilst under the effects of the curse, and she could not bear the thought of Fox going through all of that pain because of her.

They had been wandering through the forest for days now, and Fox's time was rapidly coming to its end. The stress and worry put on all of them caused their mad dash through the ruins to seem as tangible as a dream. It passed them by in a haze; such was the extent of their concern.

As they proceeded deeper, they began to hear a strange screeching sound that caused all of them to become filled with panic. A dark, twisting hallway led straight into the darkness, and Darrian pulled them up short of where the light lost to the dark.

"I… have a bad feeling about this passageway," whispered Leliana. Franklin whined in agreement. "Perhaps we should turn back."

"Don't be a fool. Judging by the sounds from beyond, this is indeed where we should head if we are to help Fox," replied Morrigan.

Leliana's ear tweaked toward Morrigan, but she held her tongue and prevented herself from making a scathing remark.

The hallway ended in a bend and another short flight of stairs. Another door barred the way.

Darrian faced Leliana and Morrigan, conveniently blocking Alistair out. "Are we ready for what lies beyond?"

He was met with the same uncertain nods. Even Franklin seemed considerably less enthusiastic than he usually did.

"Well," said Morrigan, "are you going to open the door?"

"Oh! Right," exclaimed Darrian .He heaved on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Can someone give me a hand?"

He waited for Alistair to come over, but avoided making eye contact with the man. He was still highly displeased. The two men pushed as hard as they could, and even Franklin tried to lend a hand, but they still could not get it open.

Morrigan used her staff to part the men and push them aside. "Move over."

A fist of stone formed in front of her and she sent it speeding at the iron frame. It smashed against it, and bent inward slightly.

"Do that again," said Darrian. "Magic is awesome!"

After two more casts of stonefist, the door was blasted off its hinges and sent flying out into the distance.

The grand hall stretched onward as far as the eye could see. Rows upon rows of arches lined the roof, meeting the walls on either side with a beautifully carved column. The left wall tall windows that ran all along, and sunlight flooded through lending a calm ambience to the otherwise foreboding building.

Many varieties of plant life were protruding from the windows, making it look as though the forest itself was trying to break in and get to whatever was at the heart of this place. Or, if one believed the stories passed down through the denizens of the forest, this place _was _the heart of the forest.

Darrian led the group in, but just as he was about to set his foot to the ground, Leliana yanked him backward.

"Hold," she said, rather forcefully.

Leliana moved gracefully along the floor, moving as fluidly as a stream of crystal clear water over wide flat rocks. With each landing she made, there was a click, zip or snick that came from the many traps that littered the room. The way that she moved amazed everyone present, and even Morrigan found it hard not to be impressed when she rolled over a trip-wire, cut the next one and finally leapt across four different pressure plates, each one setting off a highly dangerous trap.

"Acrobatics are AWESOME!" whooped Darrian, pumping his fists in the air, insanely jealous of Leliana's skills.

Alistair commended her for her moves, and Morrigan even managed a quiet 'impressive' in Leliana's general direction.

She pushed her red hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ears, giggling when she saw Franklin bowing low on his front paws. He emitted an odd pleasurable noise when she scratched him on top of his ears in the spot he enjoyed most. It wasn't Fox doing it, but for now Leliana would be suitable enough.

The group took a five minute breather, allowing Leliana to catch her breath after her recent exertion. Once everyone had gotten over her little show (which she may or may not have done just to one-up Morrigan's magical door knock), they walked down the middle of the room toward the large hole in the far wall, which they hoped would lead them to the end of their journey.

"Can you hear that?" asked Leliana.

"'Tis rather disconcerting, I'll admit," added Morrigan.

Darrian drew his sword. "Dragon!" he screamed.

Just as Darrian uttered the word, a huge black shadow slid along the ground, revealing the huge wingspan of what could only be quite a mature aged dragon. It roared horribly, the sound not unlike the one that came from the door scraping along the tiles.

It spat flames directly at Darrian, but Alistair ran in front and blocked most of it with his shield. He ended up taking the rest of it to his exposed sword arm, but he grunted and pushed through the pain, swinging away at the creatures head to keep it distracted. Leliana flanked the creature, going at it with dizzying speed using her twin daggers to create many small but deep cuts. Morrigan cast her signature cold spells that slowed the beast down massively, whilst slowly causing it freezing damage as it moved about.

"Alistair!" called Darrian. "Keep distracting it!" The elf then circled around, looking for the perfect opening to strike at the creature's long neck. He thought he had it, making a strike, but the dragon knew what he was doing and flew high up into the air. It moved too fast for them to keep track of, and the beast came crashing down onto Darrian's back, smashing him into the exposed rocks. His head made a sickening thud as it smacked onto the rough surface. He looked around dopily, fumbling about for his weapon.

The beast screeched again, raising its front claws into the air and keeping Darrian pinned down with its back legs. Just as it was about to use its sharp claws to slash at his back, Alistair dived on top of him and absorbed the attack. He then rolled over, so that he was still protecting Darrian but now was facing upward to the dragon.

"All right," grinned Alistair, "who ordered death!?" he screamed, jamming the point of his blade deep into the base of the dragons' throat, yanking it upward - causing blood to spill out like a fountain and all over Alistair.

The dragon cried pitifully, writhing in pain as the last of its life drained from its body.

Alistair heaved the dragon's corpse off of him, whining with displeasure as he noticed just how blood-soaked he had become.

"Oh dear," murmured Leliana, "you're so dirty!" She rushed over with a ragged cloth she found lying nearby and handed it to him. "You should really clean that up."

Morrigan used her magic to get Darrian standing again and then administered the most powerful curative she had in her possession. It was only a short amount of time before he insisted that they press on, but he made a point of thanking Alistair for his protection.

"I'm a tank, it's what I do," he said, cheekily, and only barely hiding his satisfaction that the two of them appeared to be back on speaking terms.

Just beyond the battle ground was the place where the dragon kept its hoard. Piles of gold and precious gemstones sat there, twinkling in the light.

"Stuff your pockets, because we aren't coming back here any time soon," said Darrian, grinning wildly. Darrian had not seen that much gold in his entire life, heck – he didn't think that there had ever been that much gold in the Alienage, nor would there ever be.

The hole in the wall acted as a shortcut to another narrow hallway, though it did not have as many paths branching off of it. It ended in another room similar to the one they were in when they first came to the ruins.

"_Mamae? Mamae na mara san…"_ cried a ghostly boy.

"Calm down child," Darrian said gently. "Are you looking for your mother? I can help you find her."

"_Mamae! Mamae! Mamae!" _he continued.

"Calm down, what are you seeing?" Darrian asked.

The boy vanished in the blink of an eye.

Darrian shrugged. "I've seen weirder things," he said, before picking up a brusque pace and heading toward the exit.

Hours passed as they searched and searched for the one called Witherfang, and as they drew closer they encountered many atrocities, including, but not limited to the undead. The fights were always over before they began. Again, Alistair suspected that it was Fox providing the motivation for them to fight as brilliantly as they were.

Morrigan seemed to particularly enjoy an extremely dangerous fight against an arcane horror, that ended with her acquiring a set of powerfully enchanted magical gloves.

"Darrian, you might want to take a look at this," said Alistair. He was leaning over and looking into a shallow pool of still water.

"What is it?" he asked. From far away, all that Darrian could see was Alistair's reflection glistening on the surface.

"I think it's some kind of… way forward."

Morrigan took a look, studying the surface of the water intently. "It appears to be exactly what Alistair says," she surmised.

If you looked directly into the water, you could see very clearly what lay beyond: the Lair of the Werewolves.

"Here goes nothing," said Darrian, sheepishly.

He took a running jump and cannonballed into the water. Rather than making a splash, he sunk through with a wet 'shwup' and disappeared to the other side. Alistair followed suit, then Morrigan and finally Leliana, who reluctantly dove in, as she was afraid of getting wet.

Through the portal, they were met with a were who called himself the Gatekeeper.

"Stop! Brothers and sisters, be at ease! We do not wish any more of our people hurt. I ask you this now, outsider: are you willing to parley?"

Darrian stepped forward. "We are talking now, aren't we? So talk," he said, as diplomatically as possible.

"Not with me," replied the Gatekeeper. "I have been sent on behalf of the Lady. She believes that you may not be aware of everything you should be… She means you no harm, provided your willingness to parley is an honest one."

"Then take me to this Lady."

"Follow me," he said calmly. "But I warn you, if you break your promise and harm her, I will come back from the Fade itself to see you pay."

Darrian nodded, bowing slightly before following the Gatekeeper. He led them down a short hallway that fanned out into one of the most well preserved parts of the ruins. There were no crumbling walls, nor fallen columns, but nature had taken root along the sides. Werewolves stood on the sidelines, watching the newcomers cautiously, anticipating an attack and being prepared for the worst. Most of them remained calm, looking moderately trusting but a couple snapped and growled, letting Darrian know just how finely their safety hung in the balance.

The group reached the foot of the altar, waiting for the Lady to make her appearance. The lead Were howled, a long drawn out cry that was soon joined by every other werewolf in the room.

A tall, beautiful woman with pale green skin emerged from the middle of the pack. Vines twisted around her legs, crawling up her body and ending just below her breasts. She raised a twiggy hand, silencing the wolves, and then turned to face Darrian and his company.

All of the wolves bowed down, waiting for her to begin talking.

"I bid you welcome, mortal. I am the Lady of the Forest," she said. Just like Darrian's voice was silky smooth, akin to the finest chocolates money could buy, the Lady spoke with a beauty rarely seen in anyone's lifetime.

"Really?" chuckled Darrian. "You seem like the Lady of the Ruin to me," he said, looking at Alistair in an 'Am-I-Right?' moment.

"You will not speak to the Lady in this manner!" growled Swiftrunner, finally revealing his presence.

The Lady turned to Swiftrunner, speaking gently. "Hush, Swiftrunner. Your urge for battle has only seen the death of the very ones you have been trying to save. Is that what you want?"

"No, my Lady," he admitted, defeated. "Anything but that."

"Then the time has come to speak with this outsider, to set our rage aside. I apologize on Swiftrunner's behalf; he struggles with his nature."

"Huh…" muttered Darrian, warily. "You lead the werewolves, do you?" he asked.

"Those whom I have helped are very grateful for what I have done for them. I offer them guidance, but I do not command them. No doubt you have questions, mortal. There are things that Zathrian has not told you."

Darrian massaged his temples. "Naturally. From the moment I met him, I knew he was hiding something. But in all honesty, how do you know what he has or has not told me?"

"Because there are things that he would not tell. Things that you should decide for yourself whether you need to know," she explained. "It was Zathrian who created the curse that these creatures suffer, the same curse that your friend now suffers. Centuries ago, when the Dalist first came to this land, a tribe of humans lived close to this forest. They sought to drive the Dalish away. Zathrian was a young man then. He had a son and daughter he loved greatly, and while out hunting the human tribe captured them both," she said.

"Hrrr… The humans… tortured the boy, killed him. The girl they raped and left for dead. The Dalish found her, but she learned later she was… with child. She killed herself," added Swiftrunner. If Darrian had not known any better, he'd have thought he detected a hint of shame in the way the Were spoke.

"Zathrian cursed them, I take it?" asked Morrigan.

"Zathrian came to this ruin and summoned a terrible spirit, binding it to the body of a great wolf. So Witherfang came to be. Witherfang hunted the humans of the tribe. Many were killed, but others were cursed by his blood becoming twisted and savage creatures… Twisted and savage just as Witherfang himself is," continued the Lady. "They were driven into the forest. When the human tribe finally left for good, their cursed brethren remained, pitiful and mindless animals."

Swiftrunner and his cohort bowed low. "Until I found you, my Lady. You gave me peace."

"I showed Swiftrunner that there was another side to his bestial nature. I soothed his rage, and his humanity emerged. He brought others to me."

"Then why did you ambush the Dalish?" asked Leliana. "Did you seek revenge?"

The Lady looked to her feet. "In… part. We seek to end the curse. The crimes committed against Zathrian's children were grave, but they were committed centuries ago by those who are long dead. Word was sent to Zathrian every time the landships passed this way, asking him to come, but he has always ignored us. We will no longer be denied."

"Hrrr… We spread the curse to his people! So he must end the curse to save them!"

"Onemust admit," said Morrigan, "the strategy is sound."

"Please, mortal… you must go to him. Bring him here. If he sees these creatures, hears their plight… surely he will agree to end the curse!"

"All right. We will bring you Zathrian," agreed the group.

"Tell him if he refuses," she begun angrily, "I will ensure that Witherfang is never found. He will never cure his clan. Please, for our sake and that of your friend, return with Zathrian as soon as you can. The passage leading back to the surface has been opened for you."

The shortcut led them to the upper level of the ruin, where Zathrian was waiting for them.

"Ah," he said. "And here you are already."

"Zathrian? What are you doing here?" asked Alistair.

"You carved a safe path through the forest… safe enough for me to follow, anyhow."

Morrigan chuckled. "He wishes to see if we did his work for him. Is that not why you are here now, sorcerer?"

"Do not call me that, witch," he snapped. "I am keeper of this clan and have done what I must. Did you acquire the heart?"

"Oh, yeah, it's right here," said Darrian, reaching into his pocket. When his hand re-emerged, he was making a rude gesture with his fingers. "Why did you lie to us?"

"You didn't?" growled Zathrian. "May I ask, then, why you are leaving the ruin?"

Darrian was glaring daggers at the keeper now. "The Lady won't summon Witherfang until you break the curse."

"You do understand that she actually is Witherfang?"

Darrian and Alistair both looked highly confused, but Morrigan spoke up. "I suspected as much," she said.

Zathrian continued. "She is the powerful spirit of this ancient forest that I summoned long ago and bound in the body of the wolf. Her nature is that of the forest itself. Beautiful and terrible, serene and savage, maiden and beast. She is the Lady and Witherfang both, two sides of a single being. The curse came first from her. Those she afflicted with it mirrored her own nature, becoming savage beast as well as human."

"But the Werewolves have regained their minds," stated Darrian, whose patience was beginning to wear thin.

"I find that difficult to believe," replied Zathrian. "They attacked my clan and they were the same savages then that they have ever been. They deserve to be wiped and not defended. Come, I will accompany you to the heart of the ruin. Let us go and speak to the spirit."

"Please, won't you at least consider talking to them?" begged Leliana.

"Why? You claim they have regained their minds, but they are still savage beasts. Their nature is unchanged. All they want is revenge… or a release that I will not give them. No, let us take the heart and end it."

"How can you still have so much hatred after all this time?" roared Darrian.

"You – you were not there," cried Zathrian. "You did not see what… what they did to my son. To my daughter, and so many others! You are not Dalish. How can you know how we had to struggle to be safe? How could I have let their crimes go unanswered!?"

"Idiot!" shouted Darrian, face turning red with anger. "Now it is your own people suffering, and my friend, as well as them!"

"I have sworn to protect my people, and I shall. I will not lift a finger to help the descendants of savages who deserved the curse they received!"

"At least meet with them," muttered Darrian, trying to calm himself down. "That is what I propose. If you are faced with any danger, you have my oath that I will protect you. Unless you attack first, then I will help them destroy you."

"I… fail to see the purpose behind this, but very well. It has been many centuries, now. Let us see what the spirit has to say."

* * *

"So here you are, spirit," called Zathrian, marching toward the Lady of the Forest.

"She is the Lady of the Forest! You will address her properly!" growled Swiftrunner.

Darrian and company stood back as they talked it out, prepared to step in should violence arise. There were a few occasions where it seemed like it would break out, but it calmed again quite rapidly and soon returned to the tense, but flowing conversation.

"My retribution is eternal, spirit, as is my pain. This is justice, no more," stated Zathrian.

"Are you certain your pain is the only reason you will not end this curse? Have you told the mortal how it was created?"

Darrian added his answer in, slightly intrigued with where this tale was heading. "He said he summoned you, and bound you to a wolf."

"And so he did," said the Lady. "Witherfang and I are bound as one being. But such powerful magic could not be accomplished without Zathrian's own blood."

"Just how far will you go for revenge?" shouted Alistair.

"I did it for justice!" he shouted back.

"Alas, the curse would not end with Zathrian's death," continued the Lady. "His life, however, relies on its existence. And I believe his death plays a part in its ending.

"Then we kill them all now!" roared Swiftrunner.

"You see!" exclaimed Zathrian. "They turn on you just as quickly!"

"It doesn't matter. We won't help you do this," said Darrian.

Alistair nodded. "We're standing for what's right, here. No matter what."

"Then," said Zathrian, drawing his staff. "You die with them! All of you will suffer as you deserve!"

Meanwhile, Leliana had stealthily snuck her way to a position directly behind Zathrian. Two quick strikes to his arm and his staff went flying, which bought Darrian enough time to get in close and hold him.

"No!" he said, defeated. "No more. I… I cannot defeat you…"

"Finish it!" snapped Swiftrunner. "Kill him now!"

"No," cried Leliana. "Don't kill him! Please, Lady, stop him!"

"No, Swiftrunner. We will not kill him. If there is no room in our hearts for mercy, how may we expect there to be room in his?"

"I cannot do as you ask, spirit," said Zathrian, who was crying now. "I am too old… to know mercy. All I see are the faces of my children, my people. I… I cannot do it."

"Please, Zathrian! Please! My friend will surely succumb should you not break the curse! He has been through so much, and only now is he finally experiencing freedom! For it to end so soon, is just… cruel," cried Leliana.

"She's right, Zathrian, Hasn't this gone on long enough? How many innocent lives are you willing to waste?"

Everyone turned to Zathrian now, who was facing deep internal conflict. "Perhaps I have… live too long. This hatred in me is like an ancient, gnarled root. It has consumed my soul. But what of you, spirit? You are bound to the curse just as I am. Do you not fear your end?"

"You are my maker, Zathrian. You gave me form and consciousness where none existed. I have known pain and love, hope and fear, all the joy that is life. Yet of all things, I desire nothing more than an end. I bed you, maker… put an end to me. We beg you… show mercy."

Zathrian prepared the ritual, bending down on one knee to the Lady before it begun. "You shame me, spirit. I am… an old man, alive long past his time. It is time to put an end to it all."

Zathrian stamped his staff to the ground, joining hands with the Lady and encasing the two of them into a faintly glowing aura. A single tear slid from Zathrian's cheek before his true age caught up with his body, turning Zathrian into nothing more than a pile of dusty clothing. A white light erupted from his remains, and the Lady was no more.

The light hit each of the werewolves, returning them to their human form in a domino pattern. Happiness erupted from them all, and the men and women hugged each other amidst tears of joy.

"It's over…" said a man. "And she's gone. I can scarcely believe it!"

Darrian suggested that they seek out other humans, and try to assimilate once more. They agreed, realising that it was their best option and promising Darrian assistance should he ever require it.

"Thank you. We… We'll never forget you."

With those words, they all ran as far and as fast as they could from the forest, eager to leave the bad memories behind.

* * *

Back at the Dalish camp, everything was returning back to normal. Darrian was busy discussing the upcoming battle against the Darkspawn, and the presence the elves would have during that time with the new keeper, who was doing her best to live up to expectations.

Leliana was watching Fox sleep, enjoying how he appeared to be smiling slightly. Alistair was watching her, confused but trying to learn what she saw in Fox that made her like him so.

What if there was nothing wrong with Fox, and Alistair was just being paranoid? Leliana seemed pure of heart and for someone like her to trust someone like Fox so completely, even after a short time – perhaps he was just a good person? If that was the case, then Alistair knew he had some serious apologizing to do.

"Maker," sighed Alistair. "Why am I so stupid?"

Leliana was still watching Fox intently; eager to be the first one he saw when he woke up. She did not notice Morrigan come to a standstill behind her.

"I am not fond of sharing," said Morrigan. "You should know this."

"Sharing?" asked Leliana, confused. "I haven't asked to borrow anything of yours."

"Nor would I lend it if asked. You would be best to desist and find your own," replied the witch.

"Find my own what?"

Morrigan sighed. "This facade of yours is unconvincing. If 'tis a competition you wish, a competition you shall have."

Leliana kept staring at Fox. "You Wild folk are very odd. And possessive."

* * *

**_A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this (different) chapter! I'm not sure when the next one will be up, but hopefully soon!_**

**__AD Lewis: There you go, I hope you enjoyed reading this Chapter and seeing things from a different perspective! Thanks for reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it buddy!**

**The Dark Door: Thank you so very much for your kind words! It makes me want to write more and more, so thank you! I'm sensing a little bit of rivalry between the two lovely ladies, so you'll find out just how possessive Morrigan can be in later chapters!  
**

**Avarenda: I can't say! It's just something you'll have to keep reading to find out! Who would you prefer him to be with?  
**

******Another super mega big thank you to everyone reading and favoriting and following this fic! You guys are the ring to my Sméagol, and are what keeps me writing! ;) Cheerio!**


	11. Chapter 11: Departure

_Departure_

"Fox, are you ready to leave? We'd better go soon, I want to get to Lake Calenhad before the weather takes a turn for the worse!" yelled Darrian.

I was sitting on a bench, receiving a most fantastic massage from one of the young Dalish women. Even though the curse had been lifted before I entered the final stage of the transformation, it was still quite debilitating and it had left me feeling well below standard. "In a minute," I yelled back.

For every moment that I rested (if you could call it resting, but after I woke up I felt as though I'd not slept for days) on an unusual Dalish cot, I'm pretty certain that I received a different knot in the muscles of my back and neck. My memories of the past few days were hazy at best, and though I could not recall any of the strange dreams I'd had, I could still feel their presence lingering in the back of my mind.

I felt the pressure ease, and Mythra gave a few final taps to signal the end of the massage. "Mar se… serannas?" I said, trying to recall the correct way to thank someone in the elven tongue.

She giggled at me, offering a small correction (the 'ma' did not need to be as pronounced), and then walked over to help pack one of the aravels. It seemed that the Dalish had had enough of this place too, with almost all of them eagerly packing away.

Franklin slowly came to my side, exhausted after spending many hours of every day playing with the Dalish children. I laughed gently at him, and he looked up at me with a happy glance. "You ready to go buddy?"

He replied with a soft bark, resting his head in my lap so that I could scratch him behind his ears. I tried to resist, knowing that he would get complacent should I reward him for nothing, but in the end I had no choice – he looked up at me with those puppy dog eyes, and the little whine he does when he wants something really bad.

"You two look so happy together," said Leliana, watching us from behind. "How did you meet Franklin?"

When Franklin heard his name, his tail wagged briefly before settling down again. I pulled him in closer, getting him into a better angle for a quick nap. "Well," I began. As I thought hard about the day I met Franklin, I realised that I had not told anyone this story before. "You'll have to forgive me; I'm a little sketchy on the details."

Leliana took a place by my side, looking right into my eyes and smiling expectantly at me. "Take your time," she said. "Darrian claims he is ready to leave, but I caught him playing matchmaker and I don't think he'll leave until the wedding's been organised."

I laughed, and looked over to the man. He was indeed playing matchmaker, giving advice to a young man by the name of Cammen. Franklin sneezed in my lap, reminding me that I was telling our story. "When I was younger – maybe five years old – one of my favourite things to do was sneak out into the woods by my house to collect the wild berries that grew there each year. What I loved most about them was the fact that they grew through all seasons, thriving in even the harshest winters and the hottest summers. For many months I would slip away unnoticed to my usual gathering spot, but as you probably know all good things must come to an end. Such as it was, I had plucked and eaten all of the berries in that particular spot over time. I was determined to get my fill of their sweetness, so I walked a little farther than I usually did. Now I was still quite young then, so my sense of direction was not as honed as it is today, and I found myself very lost very quickly. I must have walked in the completely opposite direction of my home, because after a while I knew I wasn't near the farm anymore."

"Are you alright?" asked Leliana. "You… you're going cross-eyed."

"Huh?" I asked. "I'm just thinking really hard, I guess. Anyway, so there I was, lost and it had just begun to rain – quite heavily too, so I tried to hide until the weather cleared up. Whilst I was hiding – no, cowering – in a nearby cave, I thought I heard the sound of a tiny puppy crying out for what I assumed to be its mother. The crying got louder, so I pulled myself together and moved out into the rain, determined to find the source of the sounds. A little farther beyond the mouth of the cavern was where I spotted this little guy-" I indicated Franklin in my lap "-staring into a deep hole that was filling with water. I ran to him, tried to pull him away but he kept looking down into the water and crying. It was only when the rain had stopped that I noticed why… There was another fully grown Mabari as well as two other pups that had…" I shivered.

"That must have been so terrible," said Leliana.

I nodded solemnly. "It was. I curled myself around Franklin until we both fell asleep. I woke the next day with him still cradled in my little arms, and he stood at the same time I did. I was certain that I'd not be allowed to keep him, but I couldn't just leave him behind either. I stood there deciding what to do, but I don't know why it took me so long. I think I wanted to keep him as soon as I saw him sitting there alone."

Leliana reached over to Franklin and scratched him behind the ears. "The Maker has curious plans for us all. It was He that brought you two together, just as He brought us together. We can only guess at His plans for us from here on out."

I don't know why, but something that Leliana said just then had gotten under my skin. I know she did not do it intentionally, but if what she said was true, then the Maker was to blame for all the hardships that everyone including myself had to suffer. If He loved just as Leliana claimed He did, then why would He abandon his children? Why was there so much fighting and sadness and why couldn't everyone just get along? I struggled internally for a while, forcing myself not to tell Leliana exactly what I thought of her 'Maker,' purely out of respect for her. I mean, sure, there was probably a time when I was younger that I would have thought the tales of the Maker to be true, but I just couldn't do that now, not with everything that has been happening.

If she needed to have faith in some higher power, that was fine. It was not my place to deny her that. "Yes," I said. It was the only thing I could think of.

"Whatchu talkin' bout?" asked Darrian, launching himself into the (very tiny) gap between Leliana and myself. "Because it's not important! I am ready to leave and so are _you!_"

The elven man stood quickly and hurried off, leaving me behind with a bewildered Leliana.

"Is he… drunk?" I asked her. I could smell something on him, though I could not pick exactly what it was. It seemed vaguely familiar, as if the scent were from a distant memory.

A couple of Dalish ran up past us, chasing after him into the trees. I looked at Leliana and shrugged.

Alistair came to the two of us, looking very worried. "Quick, we need to catch him before he does something seriously stupid. He drank something by mistake, and I've been told that it was a pretty powerful sedative!"

"He doesn't look very… sedated," I replied.

Alistair let a tiny laugh slip. "Yes, well – that can sometimes happen. We'd better go catch him, regardless."

"Right," said Leliana and I. "Come on Franklin, we've got a crazed elf on the loose and we need your help," I said to my dog as I roused him from his sleep.

Alistair extended a hand to both Leliana and me, helping us to our feet. I nodded to him in thanks.

"Darrian!" I called out to the trees. Franklin barked too, trying in vain to get the man's attention. Where the hell was he?

"You still haven't found him, I see," said Morrigan, appearing at my side.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when she surprised me, and I'm ashamed to say that I gave a scream that may or may not have been as many as it should have.

"Morrigan, never do that again. I almost hit you!"

She laughed. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I have something I want to show you."

I gulped, then nodded.

"Your magical skills have increased rapidly, far quicker than I could have anticipated. Flemeth insisted that I wait longer, but I believe it is time to show you."

"Show me what?" I asked, somewhat apprehensively. Who knew what she was up to.

Morrigan smiled. "Have you wondered what it is like to look down upon the land as you soar over it? What about how it feels see the world through the eyes of a spider, getting many different views on the same situation? I have known these things for some time now, and I have decided that you are ready."

"Yes, that's all well and good," I began. "But we really should be finding Darrian first."

"The forest is not as dangerous as it was, we have seen to that. Besides, should you get a basic knowledge of the technique, you may be able to find him with it."

I nodded. It did make sense. "Okay, but-"

"Just pay attention. This magic is unlike any other. Close your eyes, and imagine yourself in flight. Make sure that you _are _the bird, and not just looking at it. Visualise something that you know well, even something that you feel is not unlike yourself."

If this was all there was to it, I knew it wouldn't take me long. I'd spent many of my days watching the sparrows out in the fields as they flitted in and out of the high grass. I was quite jealous, in fact, of their ability to come and go as they pleased.

"Stay focussed," Morrigan snapped.

"I am!" I said defensively.

"What are you imagining?"

"The sparrows in the field of my-"

Morrigan sighed. "Already you are wrong. I did not say to visualise a field, I said to visualise yourself being the bird. Empty yourself of all other thoughts, memories – birds do not think of those things as we do."

I bit back a snappy response, because I knew that this was her style of teaching.

I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, and I really thought hard on the things Morrigan had told me to. She kept telling me not to see the bird but to become it and it took me several minutes to understand exactly what she meant.

When I opened my eyes again, I could not see Morrigan. I turned my head to look at her, but instead my eyes met her ankles.

Suddenly, I was back to my regular height, and she looked up at me with a pleased expression.

"What the…" I said aloud.

"Well done," Morrigan replied. "Now put that to use and find the Warden. We mustn't delay."

Morrigan took off in flight, leaving me standing next to Franklin who was looking at me strangely. "Don't worry buddy, I'm not a bird. I'm gonna try this again, so you keep looking for Darrian okay buddy?"

He barked warily, then lowered his snout to the ground and sniffed away.

I closed my eyes again, doing exactly as Morrigan said, and concentrated hard. This time, I genuinely felt my body shifting and changing, and I was suddenly more aware of my surroundings, but less aware of my goal. It seemed that in this bird form, I lacked the same mental processing power I held as a human. I took my time adjusting to my new field of vision before I made my first attempt at flying.

Wow. I could move – fast.

My newfound wings were flapping with increasing speed, and after a few bounces I became airborne, and if it wasn't one of the best feelings I had ever experienced, I was certain that I'd never find anything else that even came close.

I flew, looking down at the treetops below me and saw things in a way that very few other people ever had or ever would, and I just lost myself in the moment. I let the wind take me, feeling its gentle power carrying me along as I dipped and climbed, skimming along the treetops.

I could see a small fork in a river up ahead, and it looked large enough for someone to swim in. I checked it out, and to my surprise I found Darrian floundering about in the water. I circled overhead, just to make sure that it was him.

"Darrian!" I yelled at him.

"Fox!" he called back. "What're you doing up there?"

What _am_ I doing up here? In that instant, the spell broke and I plummeted into the water head first. Thankfully it was deep enough to ensure my safety. I burst through the surface of the water, coughing and spluttering with a (very naked) Darrian wading through the crystal clear water at my side.

"Hey man," said the elf. "That was awesome."

"Yes, thank you," I replied. "We should really get back to the others, we need to keep moving."

Darrian smiled serenely at me. "Woah man, slow down. Everyone's in a rush these days, never taking time to enjoy the finer things in life. Like this lovely water," he said as he swam backward, giving me a face-full of water in the process.

"And clothing, apparently," I grumbled to myself. I swam to the edge of the water and pulled myself out, looking around for Darrian's clothing.

I was about to give up looking for them when I spotted the two Dalish from earlier running toward me, Darrian's clothing in their hands. They had found the clothes, along with his weapon, discarded amongst a pile of flowers.

"Ma serannas," I said, nodding curtly. "I can take it from here."

The Dalish nodded and then left after telling me that everyone else was on their way to this point. I was tempted to wait until they came so that someone else could dress the man, but he just snuck up behind me and placed a firm smack on my left butt-cheek.

I whipped around to catch him looking at me, biting his lower lip and eyeing me steadily. I threw his pants at him then turned around again, waiting for him to put them on.

"Are you done?" I asked him.

"Sure am," he replied.

I turned around again, only to see him still completely naked. "What are you doing!?" I exclaimed, narrowly avoiding his thrown pants.

"I don't wanna wear my clothes," he said with a pout.

"Fine, but we're not going anywhere until everyone else gets here, and you put on some clothes."

"Fine," Darrian replied. He sat down in the mud and folded his arms.

It was like dealing with a petulant child. Thankfully, only a few minutes passed before Alistair and Leliana found their way to the spot where I was situated.

"Good luck," I said, before handing Alistair Darrian's clothing.

I filled Leliana in on the details while we watched Alistair try - and fail - to get our leader clothed once more. Darrian was far quicker than Alistair (whom Darrian had dubbed the 'clothes demon') and he ran circles around the other man, who was beginning to get desperate. He lunged out and grabbed Darrian by the arm, who instantly reacted by pulling himself in closer, so that his junk was now making contact with Alistair's leg.

"I'll do it for a kiss," grinned Darrian.

Alistair looked at us hopefully, but I just laughed at him. Cruel, I know, but Leliana didn't seem to mind a tiny bit, and she was supposedly the purest of heart.

"Sorry, Alistair, but someone has to do it and it's not going to be me," I said, laughing.

Alistair gulped. "Maker, forgive me…"

Their lips met very briefly, before Darrian pulled away smiling. "That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"Can we never speak of this again?" groaned Alistair. "And please, don't tell Morrigan. I'd never hear the end of it."

"My my," said Morrigan, entering the clearing. "Keeping secrets now, are we?"

True to his word, Darrian rinsed himself off and slipped into his clothing. Until Darrian had returned to his usual self, I became the de facto leader. I suggested Alistair myself, as he was the Grey Warden here, but he stated that he was never meant to be a leader, and insisted that I head the group.

I knew that Lake Calenhad connected to the Drakon River, and if I was correct Darrian had just been swimming in it. I asked that Morrigan fly up and get a bearing on our location, double checking that we were following the river away from the mountains and toward the lake.

Darrian had returned to normal by dawn of the next day, and I was all too happy to return the mantle of leadership to him. It was much easier to follow, in more ways than one. I was very pleased that I had little decisions to make, and none that would affect the group as a whole.

* * *

Another day had passed before we spotted the circle tower in the distance. With the end of our trek in sight, we all picked up the pace and hurried along the path that led us to a small inn on the shore, named the Spoiled Princess.

"Right, here we are. I say we rest until dawn, then cross the lake to the tower. Is everyone okay with that?"

I don't know what it was about the man, but whenever he spoke, we listened, and whatever he ordered, we did. The longer I spent in Darrian's company, the more I knew that he was destined for great things, and I am honoured to call him one of my closest and most trusted friends. I had faith that he would never lead us astray.

* * *

**_A/N: Thank you again, friends! I hope you've enjoyed this slightly silly chapter, it was pretty fun for me to write... But! I have a question, and possibly a favour to ask of one of you! I'm looking for a beta reader, to help me keep this story in line ;)_**

**The Dark Door: Why thank you so much! Reading your comments always brings a smile to my face, and I really appreciate that you take the time to leave a reply! As for Alistair and Fox, I'm sure they'll get along just fine... good friendships take time! _  
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**Avarenda: You are quite right, things will most certainly become complicated down the track. Thanks for your reply!  
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**SwoopingDragon:**** I know, to be honest I'd completely forgotten about Sten until it was far too late! If I can think of a reasonable way to introduce him via some other means, then I will do so. Sten is just one of my favorite characters, he has so many hilarious moments! And I completely agree with you, it does seem like I strongly dislike Alistair, but that couldn't be further from the truth, I'm actually a huge Alistair fanboy! I just felt that everything would be too simple if everyone liked each other, so we're seeing Fox's dislike for Alistair, not mine! I swear! And I'd just like to add a huuuuuuge thank you for taking the time to reply to each chapter, it is much appreciated. You're a star, you're on top, somebody bring you some haaaaaaaaam! (that was a little song from 30 Rock just for you)**

**AD Lewis: Thanks! I, too, wish that Fox could have both, but... Oh well. Thanks for leaving a review!  
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**Once again, many _many _thanks to all the readers, especially the ones that followed or favorited this story and/or myself! Ya'll are the towel to my hitchhiker!**

**P.S. As you may well know, I make a stupid nerdy reference at the end of each chapter. Starting from now, if you correctly guess what it is, I'll write a little somethin' somethin' for ya ;)**

**If you've got it, follow me on Tumblr and I'll do the same back :) lankykilla . tumblr . com **


	12. Chapter 12: Assassin

_Assassin_

"Andraste's tits," I gasped, choking on the stale air that filled the Spoiled Princess. "This place smells worse than Franklin!"

While no one verbally agreed with me in an attempt to remain polite to the innkeeper, the fact that they were walking around with wrinkles in their noses let me know that I wasn't the only one struggling to breathe. Even Franklin gagged as we came inside, and he usually loved smelling rotten things.

"I think I'll just sleep outside," stated Alistair.

"Me too," I agreed, rushing back out the way I came in. The stench really was overpowering.

In the end, we decided it would be nice to follow the shore of Lake Calenhad along until we found a nice spot to set up camp for the night. Alistair and I worked together to set up the camp while Darrian and Morrigan searched around for food – anything from the Princess was strictly a last resort for us.

Leliana was sitting off in the distance, watching the sun as it lowered over the lake, creating a beautiful red shimmer that matched the tone of her hair.

I must've stopped working, because Alistair cleared his throat and smiled at me knowingly. "She is quite a beautiful woman."

"Yeah," I replied, smiling, "she really is."

Once we had finished setting up all of the tents, I left Alistair to tend to the flame. Franklin was lying on the ground beside Leliana; tail wagging slowly as he seemed to be listening to something. I made my way to her side, listening to the beautiful words that flowed from the woman. I fought to stay on my feet as a wave of relaxation washed over me – the sounds were of such a quality that I shivered, and soon enough my arms were covered in goose pimples.

Leliana turned, noticing me at last. The corners of her eyes wrinkled slightly as she smiled, inviting me to take a seat next to her. "We are to enter the Circle Tower tomorrow."

"I know," I said, looking to my feet. "I don't know if I really want to go though." Leliana looked at me, her expression asking me to continue. "I… am uncomfortable with being trapped. And what is the tower but a giant cage? If it weren't for the blight, or the timely arrival of my abilities, I would have been locked up there too. To be alone every day, it just… I don't think Mabari are allowed up there."

"You speak as though you are headed there permanently," she replied. "I do not think you'd have to worry about that, I'm sure the last thing on the Templars mind right now would be capturing you."

"I don't mean not coming back from our trip now, but what will happen after the Blight has been dealt with? Where will I go? I've no family, and certainly no friends. The only person I can possibly trust is across the Waking Sea, and even then… Who knows how far my father's lies have already spread? He's probably got an entire squad of Templars looking out for me; such was his rank in the order. What if-"

"Shhh," said Leliana, raising a gentle hand to my cheek. "Fox. Listen to me. You are not the only mage on the loose. You are _definitely _not the only person wanted for murder. Quit worrying. We will all look after you," she said. "I will look after you."

I was beginning to truly feel everything that had happened to me, and it was not doing much for my outlook on the future. My mother was dead, and, indirectly, it was my fault. I was worried for all the things that would come, worried that one day I might even lose Franklin. But most of all, I was afraid. Afraid of the Blight, afraid of the tower and afraid of the magic within me. The threat that my father posed loomed over me ominously, and I had the feeling that he'd show up at the most inopportune moment I could think of.

Suddenly, I was overcome with emotion and needed to lie down. A single tear rolled down my cheek, which Leliana wiped away. "Lie down," she said to me, patting her thigh. She held me as I lowered, gently running her hand over my head to help relax me. Franklin snuggled up closer to me, and the two of us rested there watching the sunset while Leliana sang to us. My eyelids felt heavy, and I eventually gave in to the need for sleep. As I closed my eyes, I could swear I saw a crow watching from the distance, possibly even shaking its head. I didn't have time to think about what it meant though, because seconds later I had fallen into a deep and relaxing sleep.

* * *

I woke with a start, uncertain where I was. I quickly looked around and realised that I was still in camp with my companions all asleep in their bedrolls beside the fire. The embers glowed softly in the pit while I just lay there awake, watching them very slowly fade. I had almost fallen back to sleep when I heard a strange rustling coming from the nearby bushes. At first, I just assumed that it was some kind of animal going about its business so I rolled onto my back and stared at the stars. They were shining brightly tonight, looking incredibly beautiful as they dotted the blackness around the full moon. Even in such darkness, that many tiny lights working together could light up almost anything. In a way, I was reminded of Darrian, fighting the darkness that was the Blight. Everyone else, we were all just his support – we relied on each other, for without that trust there'd be little to no chance of survival.

As I thought on those things, I heard the noise again only this time it seemed closer. I propped myself up so that I was supported on my elbows. I craned my neck to the side, and I caught a glimpse of two bright eyes staring back at me from beneath a bush.

I looked into the eyes of the creature, fascinated. It returned my interest just as eagerly, before turning tail and heading back to the cover of nature. As it turned away, for a brief second or two I saw the creature's tail. It was bushy and of a similar shade of color to that of my own hair. It was indeed the animal from which I had taken my namesake.

I rose quickly from the covers and dashed after it. Before I made it to the bushes, I turned back to make sure that everyone was still asleep. For some reason, I felt that I needed to do this alone.

"Hey, wait up," I called.

I kept pushing through, swiping the twigs and branches away as I went along. I ran and ran, constantly picking up speed, and as my speed increased, so too, it seemed, did the amount of thick shrubbery that got in my way.

Eventually, it almost became too much for me to get through and I had to stop to find a better way through. Just beyond, I could make out a clearing and what looked to be the fox I was chasing sitting in the middle. I tried tearing my way through, simply pushing through and even tried running at the wall of shrubs, but nothing would get me through. If only I had brought a weapon! I looked down at my hands, wishing that I could just snap my fingers and my weapons would come to hand.

At that point, I wanted to slap myself for being so slow of mind – I had forgotten completely about my ability to use magic. Upon my realisation of this, the fox let out a high pitched yelp, as if congratulating – or mocking – me, for finally working out how to get through the barrier.

I stepped forward, gripping the thickest parts tightly in my hands. I focussed my thoughts on burning away the worst of it, and in no time at all smoke rose from wherever my hands were touching. I had cleared a big enough space for me to get through, so I stepped across to the other side. Immediately, the vine like growths sprung up to replace the ones I had removed.

"Uh oh," I said, turning to look back at the sudden disappearance of the entrance – and exit.

Up close, the fox seemed much larger than usual and I was beginning to regret giving chase. It growled at me, a deep and dangerous sound that sent adrenalin coursing through my body. Flames came to life in my hands, and I accepted the challenge that the fox presented.

As it ran to me, I charged head on too. I roared, a battle cry that gave me the energy to leap over the fox as it passed beneath me. I landed and turned quickly, hurling the two balls of heat directly at it. The fox was very quick and the firebolts only hit the ground where it used to be, sending chunks of stony earth skyward. I looked around for the animal, catching it in the corner of my eye just in time to avoid a particularly nasty snap of teeth. I lowered myself enough so that it flew by my head, leaving it wide open for a nice kick to the side. My foot connected with the fox's ribs, sending it flying off to the side with a hearty bounce.

I couldn't help but smirk at that.

The smirk was quickly wiped from my face, though, when the fox disappeared before it hit the ground. As quickly as it had vanished, it returned, only this time with several more identical looking animals. They surrounded me, circling and snapping viciously.

Okay. I was beginning to panic now.

What little magic I knew would surely not be enough to kill one of them, let alone the whole pack. Before I could think any further, they simultaneously broke the circle and charged into me. I had no idea what to do, so I just kinda pooped out a spell, and thankfully it was quite a powerful one. I wave of fire burst from all around me; giving the foxes pause, as well as setting the ground around me alight with magical flame. I raised my arms to the stars, drawing upon as much energy as I could muster to call down a torrent of fireballs. They crashed to the ground, raining fiery destruction upon anything within a moderate radius around me.

One fox down.

Two, three, four.

Five and six dead, leaving one more.

"Solid work, 'Fox,'" it said.

"Um… what?" I gasped. Did that animal just talk to me? Something really strange was going on here.

"You heard me, child," it replied, coolly. "For someone who has only recently come into his powers, you've certainly come a long way."

"Thank you," I replied. "Is this a dream? Am I in the Fade? Please tell me what is going on."

"No, child. Dreaming you are not."

I thought silently for a moment, never taking my eyes off of whatever I was talking to. Perhaps it was a spirit of the Fade? "If I'm not dreaming, then… where did all that power come from? That magic?"

"What is magic but a dream made real?" replied the fox-spirit. "You cannot fathom the immensity of the power you possess, which is why I am here: to guide you so that you do not squander it. There are great things in store for you, young man. You are not quite ready yet, but when the time comes you will be. I will make sure of that."

"But," I began, mighty confused. "Why… me?"

"Why you? Why anyone! It is not for you to decide, so nix those troubles now. Know this: I am always there and always watching you. I will guide and instruct you until a time where I see fit. Until then, I can offer you one thing."

"What? No explanation? You can't just-"

The spirit fox howled, rooting me in place. I looked into its eyes once more, and saw the same shade as my own reflected back at me. In that instant, I knew I had some kind of connection to the creature, something that tied me to it that definitely was not just a random encounter as it had suggested.

It leapt across the clearing, flying straight at me and despite my urge to duck or roll, I could not. Instead of knocking me to the ground, however, it vanished inside me and I felt something odd stirring deep within me. I fell to the ground hard, landing in an awkward pose that knocked the wind from my chest.

There was a familiar sound of fluttering nearby, and Morrigan appeared in front of me with her hand extended.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" she asked.

"Urgh," I groaned, clutching my head as I sat up. For a brief moment the world spun around me. "I'm not sure. Why are you?" I may have said that last bit a little accusingly.

"I," Morrigan snapped. Yep, definitely sounded accusing, "I awoke to find you gone. Knowing 'twas not like you to leave without Franklin, I came searching for you. Then I find you here, lying in dirt and stone."

I brushed myself off and turned away. What could I say? How could I explain what had just happened without sounding as crazy as Flemeth? "I think… I was sleep walking."

I winced, waiting to see if Morrigan bought my excuse.

"Very well," she said, not sounding entirely convinced, "as long as you are okay."

What? Was Morrigan… concerned? I felt my heart stir a little bit at the worry behind her words. Or maybe I was still feeling a little funny about the Fox encounter. But I like to think that Morrigan had such an effect on me.

"Thank you, Morrigan," I said, turning to face her.

Looking into her amber eyes, I noticed a sense of loneliness that I had never picked up on before. There she was, a woman who had never truly made contact with anyone of the outside world. She must have gotten lonely. I know I would have. That, or gone mad because of Flemeth.

"What was it like, living in the Wilds?" I asked her.

The question seemed to have caught her by surprise as she fumbled over her words for a few seconds. "Well… for many years it was simply Flemeth and I. The Wilds and its creatures were more real to me than any of Flemeth's tales of man."

"Yeesh… Too much time with Flemeth, I think. It's a wonder that she didn't drive you as mad as herself. That must have been… fun," I replied.

She smirked. "And now both our lives have been changed for good."

"Yeah," I replied.

"We are quite similar, you and I, in more ways than one."

I scrunched up my face in confusion, unsure of what she meant by that. Before I could say anything, however, she did something that surprised me completely.

Morrigan put her hands behind my head and pulled me down into a hot and hungry kiss. It was rough and unexpected, like something that was done on a whim and without regard for what might come after.

"I can give you what no other ever could, you should know this," she said as she pulled away from me.

Then she transformed into a crow once more, flying off and leaving me stunned. What in Andraste's flaming knickers had just happened?

Dazed, I made my way back to the camp where Morrigan was nowhere to be found. I crossed over to my bedroll and tucked myself inside, watching Franklin twitch in his sleep as I slowly drifted off.

Everything that had happened eventually made its way to the back of my mind where it sat in a haze of dreams, my own weariness casting doubts on whether or not anything had actually happened.

* * *

"Goooood morning!" sung Darrian, waking everyone up. "Rise and shine team Warden, we've got a big day ahead of us and the boat has just pulled in!"

I groaned as I rose from my bed, silently wishing for another hour or so of magical sleep. Franklin whined and looked at me pleadingly, but I had to shake my head. "Sorry buddy… Darrian's the leader, so we have to go."

Darrian certainly seemed very chipper this morning, and I had no idea why. He noticed me looking at him with curiosity so he walked over with his arms extended and pulled me into a friendly hug (though it got to a point where, for me, it crossed that line and came into uncomfortable territory).

"I suppose you're wondering why I am so happy," he said serenely.

I nodded. "You could say that. I'll admit I am a little jealous," I added with a laugh.

He clapped me on the shoulder, squeezing gently. "To be honest, I don't know why. I've just got a good feeling about today."

"Good to know," I said with a warm smile.

I heard someone calling out in the distance, an unknown voice that sounded in danger.

"Can you hear that?" I asked, looking around warily.

Darrian nodded, and the two of us spun on our feet to face a terrified looking woman who had come sprinting through the trees.

"Oh, thank the Maker," exclaimed the woman. "We need help! They attacked the wagon! Please help us!"

Darrian nodded to me, asking the woman to lead us to the attack site. I rounded up everyone else and we followed a short while to a generously sized field, surrounded by high rocks and trees. The woman stepped up to the side of an elven man, and nodded.

She turned to us, wickedness etched upon her thin face. Evidently, something was very wrong here.

Darrian stepped around us protectively, holding his arms out wide and watching carefully. The strange elven man made a short hand gesture and in seconds we were surrounded by many assassins. "The Grey Warden dies here!" he shouted.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted several men heaving on a very old looking tree. "Move!" I screamed, diving out of the way and pulling Franklin with me. I hit the earth with a thump and quickly checked to ensure that everyone else was safe before leaping to my feet.

"Let's do this!" cried Darrian, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

I ran to the side of the field and launched a volley of arrows up to the bandits that were standing on higher footing, grinning as two of them fell to the ground clutching their wounds. I had merely scratched the other one, and he jumped down in front of me with his sword and shield in hand.

He swung twice, two slow yet heavy blows that I was easily able to dodge, but on the third strike he made a lunge for my gut that only just made contact and left a shallow wound in my centre. I rolled out of the way just in time to avoid a devastating shield bash that would have knocked me out completely, hurling a small fireball at him as he went by.

It knocked the shield from his grip, sending it skidding along the leafy ground and ending up beneath a small bush. Without the mobility loss that his shield presented, my duel partner was able to move much faster – but he was also far easier to read without a massive piece of metal blocking my view of his body. I could see his arms tense as he moved forward, aiming a vertical slice right in the middle of my body.

This was too easy. I struck outward with the shaft of my bow, laughing at the dull whack it made as it connected with the side of his head. He dropped to one knee, opening up his neck briefly and allowing me to jam an arrow right into the exposed flesh.

I was in the process of yanking it out when another man came after me, this time swinging a rather nasty looking mace. He ran at me fast, so I stepped out of the way and stuck out my leg, causing him to tumble over.

I was enjoying this far too much for it to be normal. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins, my adrenaline giving me a massive boost to my power. My fingertips crackled with lightning and I could see the sudden fear in the man's eyes, because he knew that his life was in my hands – I had all the power.

He shook violently as the electrical energy fried him, utterly destroying him from the inside out. I looked down at my hands, admiring the sheer strength of will that I had just unleashed.

"I'm sure glad you're on our side," said Darrian, slightly uneasily. "Come on, one of them is still alive. I've a few things I wanna ask him."

Darrian led me to the wounded elf, who was unconscious and wounded, but alive. "Does someone want to wake him?" he asked.

"I'll do it," I said, picking up a large stick and prodding him with it.

He stirred gently. "Mmm… What? I… ohhh… I really thought I would wake up dead, or not wake up at all as the case may be. But I see you haven't killed me yet."

I looked at Darrian, and he seemed to be struggling with something. "Quiet! You'll answer when spoken to!"

What the? I didn't expect Darrian to reply that way, but then again this man did just try to kill him.

"Ah. So it is questions for me, is it?" responded the elven man. "While I do enjoy a good beating from a handsome brute, let me save you a bit of time and get right to the point."

I swear I just saw Darrian blush a little bit. Judging by the reactions of my companions, they had picked up on it too. Darrian was head over heels.

The elf picked up on this too and a small grin lit up his face. "My name is Zevran. Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan crows, brought here for the sole purpose of slaying any surviving Grey Wardens. Which I have failed at, sadly."

"I am rather happy you failed," replied Darrian.

"So would I be, in your shoes. For me, however, sets a rather poor precedent, doesn't it? Getting captured by a target seems a tad detrimental to one's budding assassin career."

Darrian stood there silently for a moment before he spoke again. "What are the Antivan Crows?" he asked.

"I can tell you that," said Leliana, stepping forward. "They are an order of assassins out of Antiva. Very powerful and renowned for always getting the job done… so to speak. Someone went to great expense to hire this man."

Zevran shifted uncomfortably on the ground, his restraints perhaps a little too tight. "Quite right," he said. "I'm surprised you haven't heard much of the Crows out here. Back where I come from, we're rather infamous."

Darrian chuckled. "Not for being very good assassins, I see."

"Oh, fine!" replied Zevran. "Is that what you Fereldans do? Mock your prisoners? Such cruelty."

Darrian knelt down, sword in hand and got to work removing the ropes that bound Zevran.

"What!?" exclaimed Alistair. "You're taking the assassin with us now? Does that really seem like a good idea?"

I don't think Darrian liked that, especially when Alistair questioned his decisions. "You're here aren't you? Collecting cast-offs is what I do."

"Ow…" replied Alistair. "Maybe true, but… ow. Whatever. I'm sure you know best."

"Welcome, Zevran," added Leliana. "Having an Antivan Crow join us sounds like a fine plan."

"Oh, you are another companion to be, then? I wasn't aware such loveliness existed amongst adventurers, surely," replied Zev.

"Or maybe not," snapped Leliana. I quickly gave her a sneaky thumbs up for that.

"Just one more thing before we set off," I said, finally breaking my silence. Zevran regarded me with a look of what I thought was mild admiration. "Who hired you?"

"A rather taciturn fellow in the capital. Loghain, I think his name was? Yes, that's it. I have no idea what his issues are with you. I assume you threaten his power, no? Beyond that, I'm not loyal to him. I was contracted to perform a service."

"Are there… any other services you can provide?" asked Darrian, grinning widely.

"You'll just have to find out," replied Zevran, winking.

Well, the two of them were going to get along quite well. I just hoped they wouldn't be too noisy during the night, I needed my sleep damnit. We healed Zevran as best we could, not doing too much though because we knew we had higher quality poultices hidden back at the campsite. Zevran insisted that Darrian lead the group, while he would trail directly behind him. They were definitely off to a great start.

On the way back, I heard Zevran mention something about knowing several different massage techniques, and in those words I knew that Zevran would be one of my favourite people to travel with.

And that was the start of one of my greatest friendships.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting, with the auction and a friend of mine going to hospital, as well as my newest fic Wings (Supernatural, Destiel, my OTP) I just kinda fell behind with this one, so sorry about that! Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!**

**Trishata96: Well, now that Zev has joined the party, hopefully that means Alistair might be left alone... but we all know how naughty Zevran can be! I think he'll be a bad (or good, depending on who you are) influence on Darrian!  
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**The Dark Door: Haha I had hoped the last chapter was fun, I hadn't written anything that light-hearted in this fic yet so I thought it was long overdue... Also, to be honest I was a little nervous about writing the whole shapeshifting thing! I'm glad to hear that you thought it was well done. As always, thanks for the cookies and the review! I look forward to see ing what you leave on each chapter, you always make me smile :)  
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**So there you have it, Chapter 12 of the Fox and the Crow, and the girls are both starting to try and entice Fox! And what of the mysterious fox spirit? What - or who - is it? I'm actually really excited about it, and I hope you all enjoy what happens when the time comes. Until then, thank you so very very much for reading this, and an even bigger thank you to all of you lovely folk who ****followed or favorited this story and/or myself! Y'all are like the Timon to my Pumba!**

******Peace out!**


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